2013 End of Year Survey... (Erm... A little late.)

So, I’m pretty far behind at the moment if you haven’t noticed. I’m playing catch-up. A post very soon will also get further explanation on this. Nonetheless, I had this 2013 End of Year Survey over halfway filled out before the end of December. I didn’t want to waste that amount of time I’d spent copying and pasting all of the questions, then filling everything out by NOT posting, so I’m just going through with it and posting this anyway. Even if I am a week late. BAHAHA. Hope you enjoy the answers either way.

(This survey was created by Perpetual Page Turner)

　

　

1. Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist)

Best Supernatural/Paranormal (YA): The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, Warm Bodies
Best Fantasy (YA): Crown of Midnight, Desert Tales (Melissa Marr--no review posted at blog so no link back)
Best Fantasy (leaning more toward the adult side): Mistborn -- though I think this is the only one I read in that area for 2013 sadly.
Best Horror/Thriller (YA): Monsters
Best Contemporary (YA/NA): Just One Day, The Art of Wishing, Falling For Hamlet

Favorite Guys of 2013: Adrian, Willem, Prince Dorian, Gavriel, Kelsier, and Wolf.

Fave Gals: Tana, Ophelia, Sydney, Allison, Margo, Alex, Celaena.

　

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Requiem by Lauren Oliver, Joyland by Stephen King, and Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?

Falling For Hamlet

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?

Just One Day, Falling For Hamlet, The Art of Wishing, Warm Bodies, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, Mistborn, and The Humans (also since I love Sarah J. Maas and Ilsa J. Bick so much, I’m always recommending their books--and loved Crown of Midnight and the two Bick books I read in 2013 as well).

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

Lindsay Ribar

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

Mistborn

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

Seriously. The answers are going to start getting repetitive. I can’t pick just one on this one either. Sorry. Three: Mistborn, Crown of Midnight, and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

Loved these covers particularly--even though I didn’t always love the book:

Tandem, The Art of Wishing, How My Summer Went Up In Flames, Rush, Blaze, Joyland, Cruel Beauty

11. Most memorable character in 2013?

Wolf from Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick. I think he’s just one of the most memorable characters EVER for me. Also Gavriel from The Coldest Girl in Coldtown and Kelsier from Mistborn. (Are you seeing my pattern yet with my favorites??)

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?

Mistborn.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?

Guess. *cough cough* Mistborn. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Crown of Midnight. Monsters. (Monsters… why did this trilogy have to ennnddd??!)

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?

Mistborn!

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?

I don't know to be fair. I can completely fawn all over it a book, but unless I re-read a couple times, it's hard for me to memorize exact lines very often. I do like this one quote from Warm Bodies (which I read just before the movie released on DVD or something like that).

"What wonderful thing didn't start out scary?" -Warm Bodies

16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?

Shortest book would probably be Will O’ the Wisp (haven’t reviewed yet--graphic novel). Longest would have to be Monsters at just over 820 pages.

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

Several. I’m always left with these moments, especially when it comes to ARCs. Only downfall about them. I’d had an ARC of Requiem by Lauren Oliver and I remember absolutely freaking out and just wanting to scream at my bestie, but I couldn’t because the book hadn’t released and she hadn’t got a chance to read it yet. :/ LOL.

　

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).

Loved Gavriel and Tana. And the friendship between Kelsier and Vin.

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, Desert Tales, Crown of Midnight, Monsters

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:

Mistborn -- thanks to Reader of Fictions and PaperFantasies for the endless bugging of needing to be read.

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?

Seems I was a bit all over the place in reading. Hahaha, but I think I read more out of the Contemporary and Fantasy sides than anything else.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?

Gavriel.

23. Best 2013 debut you read?

The Art of Wishing

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?

The Eternity Cure, The Coldest Girl in Cold Town, Mistborn

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?

The Art of Wishing, Falling For Hamlet, Just One Day, The Indigo Spell, Crown of Midnight, and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?

Crown of Midnight, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, Mistborn

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?

The Art of Wishing

　


Book Blogging/Reading Life 2013




1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2013?

Bekka’s at Pretty Deadly Reviews (but now she is a co-blogger with a fave, Great Imaginations), Jessie at Ageless Pages Reviews, Alexia at Adventures in Reading, Debby at Snuggly Oranges, There Were Books Involved, and Writer of Wrongs.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2013?

Positive: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.
Negative: The Dark Heroine.

3. Best discussion you had on your blog?

Had a few I really enjoyed putting up. Some with a bit more recognition than others, but eh, oh well. Haha. I liked doing Books and Crafts, Bookish Bucket List, Let’s Talk About Sex, and What Makes a Person a True Fan.

4. Most thought-provoking review or discussion you read on somebody else’s blog?

I honestly couldn’t tell you. I enjoy a lot of posts from regularly-visited blogs… Or else I wouldn’t visit them regularly. :P I did want to add that I always love doing group reads/reviews and a couple of months back took part in one with Amelia Anne is Dead & Gone--and that was a thought-provoking discussion amongst ourselves that we shared across our blogs. Those are always fun!

5. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

For this year I really loved participating in Armchair BEA and the Halloween Hop Kara & Lyn hosted at Great Imaginations. Also really loved the 15 Day Blogger Challenge! Really wish I could’ve went to an actual event, but I don’t have any signings near me unfortunately. Buuuuttt, I am going to BEA 2014, WHOOP WHOOP!

6. Best moment of book blogging/your book life in 2013?

Getting my first-ever physical ARC of a requested book from a pub--the last book to a one of my fave series ever, and then completely devouring it (Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick). :D Also made some new friends through Twitter/met through another blogger bestie and so happy to know them now & excited to meet them in the coming months at BEA! I don’t know what I’d do without ‘em. :D

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

With views it was the group review with Jessie and Lyn of Amelia Anne is Dead & Gone

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

All of my Sound Effects posts. It was/is a feature I love doing, but never get any kind of attention on it. Lots of page views, no comments. Lol. So I am always putting it off for a period of time instead of posting it a regularly as I used to when I first started the feature. Haha.

　

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

BookLikes. :D I don't post there often, but I do think the Tumblr-style site for bookish people is great!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

Yes. I completed the 2013 reading challenge I set for myself. While it was much lower than I normally set, I was relieved to have get it done at least. It’d been a busy year, and so far 2014 seems to have started out as quite hectic as well (but will at least be easier on me than last I’m sure).


Looking Ahead:


1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2013 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2014?

It’d been marked as ‘currently reading’ and I’d read about 100 pages but then I got busy with a lot of things, so it’d been put on the back-burner for a bit: For Darkness Shows the Stars, then immediately on to its companion: Across A Star-Swept Sea.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2014 (non-debut)?

DREAMS OF GODS & MONSTERS, Y’ALL!

3. 2014 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

Prisoner of Night and Fog (Anne Blankman), Stolen Songbird (Danielle L. Jensen), A Shard of Ice (Alivia Anders), Red Rising (Pierce Brown)

4. Series Ending You Are Most Anticipating in 2014?

Dreams of Gods & Monsters (Laini Taylor), Into the Still Blue (Veronica Rossi--even though I still need to read the second book ughhh), The Creators (Tiffany Truitt),

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2014?

I know I definitely hope to get more involved with my blog this year after having a busy last-half of 2013. Blogging has been such a huge part of my life for nearly three years and I never plan to lose that--even if I do get a little behind from time to time. I want to participate in more memes, features, etc. I want to get a lot more active in the community. I’m looking to pick a co-blogger with me soon and get things really rolling around here also. I hope to get more classics read. To re-read some of my favorites. Read more outside of my usual comfort zone, too. I know it said ‘one thing’ but I don’t care. Haha.

　


　

Well, that seems to be it! Hope you all had a great end to your 2013 and all off to a fabulous start with your 2014!

　

　


 

ARC Review: Taste of Darkness

Title: Taste of Darkness
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Category/Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Release Date: December 31st

See it at Goodreads


She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.

But there's a more immediate threat. The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.


I completely adored the first two books of this series, but couldn't find myself all that attached going into this installment. Maybe it's been because of the recent reading slump I've been in--haven't had much the desire to do much reading or anything at all--and it's left me feeling all meh toward this one. My largest problem was the first hundred-fifty pages or so, I felt I was getting too much detail into how Avery felt… I MEAN ALL THE FEELS, Y’ALL… And the action seemed to seriously slack. It left me bored the majority of the beginning, despite the gorgeous writing and tension build-up. Despite how excited I'd been to return back to Snyder's world and these characters.

I also have to be honest to say that I completely missed the ending. I'd been about 60 pages away from it when my e-galley expired. Ugh. So it's definitely going to deserve a re-read either way, and when I do maybe I won't be in such a slump and will have a different opinion about a few things? I was such a big fan since book one, so it was sad that things felt off to say the least at this stage for me.

I'm still not thrilled with how a few things turned out from book two (a few readers might know what I mean-- character 'reunion'/reincarnation thing, ya know? Mixed feelings on this.) and this continued to transition into Taste of Darkness. Would have loved some different scenarios, but things still worked and it wasn't bad. I particularly liked the start right from where the last page of the second had left off at, without all the unnecessary backstory and additional commentary/refresher when reading a series installment (c'mon, you're reading *book three*... shouldn't need a few pages of filler backstory to explain where the characters are, right?). I also did like the emotional rollercoaster for the most part as I have been an invested fan (and shipper) of Kerrick and Avery.

I gave it a 3 star rating for now because while I enjoyed it, I was very "okay" about it, too. But it's possible with a re-read later--and to find out the last bit of the ending--it could be higher. I have to get out of this slump. :/

P.S. You may have also noticed a bit of a blog hiatus recently. The holidays destroy me blog-wise. And I’ve been down lately with some kind of a sickness, flu or something. I don’t know. Just all around icky feeling. I am trying to blog when I can and hopefully return to a normal schedule as soon as possible. Thanks, lovelies. <3


 

Discussion: What Is It That Makes A Person A 'True Fan'?

We all have things we love and gush about. Books, movies, actors, singers… whatever. We’re crazy about them. People we know may even call us obsessed at times. We are fans.

But what is it that puts someone under the label of a ‘true fan’? Is it the amount of time a person has been part of it? The knowledge they possess? Or when talking about book-movie adaptations, would you slap this label on anyone that read the book first… but snub your nose at those who read it after watching by saying they’re bandwagon-ing?

I’m prepared to fully admit I’ve been a bit of a snob in my past with book-movie adaptations. I was agitated for the most part when people would watch the film and become obsessed, think they’d try to outsmart me only to be wrong because films change details in most cases anyway, and then read the books later. Now I’m not as bothered by it because HEY, whatever… it gets a person to pick up the book still, right?? I just can’t argue this logic. (Also, thank you Hunger Games for getting my oldest girl to read last year *fist pump*)


But recently, I’ve been seeing a larger problem. Statements made by fans in various fandoms, and more recently even a producer of an upcoming film of a book I’ve been waiting for as a movie for over three years, and they’re not setting well with me. Example:
"Furthermore, having now shown this film to over 1000 fans, the results are in. They LOVE IT! and I promise you, if you are a true fan of the series, you will too!” --Mike Preger, Producer (Vampire Academy)

Wait...

What?

 

The first time I read VA was when I was around twenty-two I believe if I’m not mistaken (22-23 was a good year for books for me--VA, Hunger Games, The Book Thief, Wintergirls). It wasn’t heard of much at the time. Blood Promise wasn’t even out yet. The first three were only available on paperback. But this doesn’t matter. Couldn’t someone that’d just read and loved the series in the last month be as much of a fan as I am? I would think so, right?


The other issue to address here is that not every fan is going to like a movie adaptation. No matter how well done it may be. To make a statement that basically puts any person in a position of feeling as if they’re not contributing to the community or not a true fan if they don’t like it is not right. I personally think Mr. Preger didn’t mean anything harmful by his comment and he likely didn’t realize how it sounded perhaps, but things should’ve been worded differently for sure. At least it made me think, which led me to this discussion post.

 

We have to remember what’s important as fans though: the connection. Not just a connection with a book/series or authors we eventually become fans of, but the characters, their world, and other fans. There shouldn’t be any concern over who’s a true fan due to X reason. If you’re a fan, you’re a fan! How hard is that, really? And if you don’t like a movie adaptation of a book you love, it doesn’t make you any less of a fan. Nor does reading a book after seeing the movie (though us book-nerds do prefer you try to read before because the books are always better anyway, just saying). ;)

So, how about it… Be just a fan with me? Or do you use the ‘true fan’ label (if so, please let me know how you work it out?)?


 

ARC Review: The Geek's Guide to Dating

Title: The Geek's Guide to Dating
Author: Eric Smith
Release Date: December 3rd
Category/Genre: Humor, Self-Help, Non-Fiction


See it at Goodreads


You keep your action figures in their original packaging. Your bedsheets are officially licensed Star Wars merchandise. You’re hooked on Elder Scrolls and Metal Gear but now you’ve discovered an even bigger obsession: the new girl who just moved in down the hall. What’s a geek to do? Take some tips from Eric Smith in The Geek’s Guide to Dating. This hilarious primer leads geeks of all ages through the perils and pitfalls of meeting women, going on dates, getting serious, breaking up, and establishing a successful lifelong relationship (hint: it’s time to invest in new bedsheets). Full of whimsical 8-bit illustrations, The Geek’s Guide to Dating will teach fanboys everywhere to love long and prosper.


The Geek’s Guide to Dating is an adorable ode to a variety of ‘geeks,’ ‘nerds,’ and ‘dorks.’ I have to say right off from the start that the author, Eric, is one of my contacts when I’m requesting anything from Quirk and he’s a nice guy. I don’t know him too personally--but after emails back and forth several times, I just have to disclose that bit of info. It still doesn’t affect me when it comes to reviewing honestly, but I’m so happy to see he’s on the author side of things now, rather than the publicist!

That being all said, this was a quick read that I managed to get through within a day. I had some interest in this initially because I’m self-professed geek/dork/nerd (whatever, right?) for sure and I thought it’d be cute to see what would be said inside. I’m a married woman, but I have single friends. I also like looking up new ideas for the hubs and I, too. Haha. :P Anyway, I found this adorable book to be more for a male audience--which I think was the main intention, and that’s perfectly okay. It just wasn’t for my readership. I did like the set-up and the ideas, as well as the humor, but I would’ve loved seeing some geeky girl things or ideas aimed toward our audience also. Not all the geeks are guys, and it’s not always guys taking the initiative when it comes to dating. Don’t forget about us gals!

When finished, I can honestly say it’s a great little book to give as a gift to your favorite single geeky friend or relative. Or even as just a fun read. I’m glad I gave it the opportunity. Also as a total geeky girl and from the appropriate gaming era (because I'm old/old-school), I must say that I love the cover so so so much.

 

Review: Ashfall

Title: Ashfall
Author: Mike Mullin
Category/Genre: YA, Apocalyptic, Contemporary, Disaster/Action




Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.

For Alex, being left alone for the weekend means having the freedom to play computer games and hang out with his friends without hassle from his mother. Then the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, plunging his hometown into a nightmare of darkness, ash, and violence. Alex begins a harrowing trek to seach for his family and finds help in Darla, a travel partner he meets along the way. Together they must find the strength and skills to survive and outlast an epic disaster.



Well, I’ve certainly had a lot going on lately so I’m sorry to only just now get to this review. But I’m glad to say that Ashfall was certainly a memorable read, with characters easy to recall, so even after having finished a couple of weeks ago I can still easily think back on it to share my final thoughts.

To start with, it touched on a subject that is probably one of my biggest fears. An apocalyptic event. And not just any apocalyptic event (like zombies when I’m sitting around watching The Walking Dead--though those can be scary and who doesn’t freak at that potential idea also?), but a natural occurrence. One that involves something I’ve seen countless documentaries on and have read several interesting texts on, and the thoughts of this super-volcano, or any of the world’s super-volcanoes, erupting are terrifying. When it comes to the potential ideas of some kind of apocalyptic event in the future if possible, I’m genuinely scared of the power of Mother Nature, not to mention the insanity that ensues with humans in times of chaos.

Readers get a taste of all of this with Ashfall in the characters’ experiences and actions. Mullin did an excellent job showcasing how much chaos happens during a crisis, and how much a person can change during times like these. People that Alex knew personally from his community were still mostly kind, though obviously different and ready to fight when a situation needed. Like with Joe and Darren. We see the quick, intense change in Darren in a matter of a day or two after the eruption compared to how he had been portrayed when he was introduced--and then the sudden snap upon the attack on Joe by the intruding strangers as it all fell into place and we knew he was going to protect his loved one and his shelter at all costs, no matter the consequences. Often times, the book does make you question what you would do in the same situation. How you would react and if you’d take the same path some of these characters took. There were times I had to stop and think as well because this is such a realistic event. You just never know anymore given our history with natural disasters.

I liked how Mullin created Alex and showed me his growth from the start through the end with a slow development. Sometimes I felt the story was a little too slow, dragged on at times in parts, but by the end I got the general feel that I needed it. At the start, Alex was an immature brat with not much respect for his parents. He didn’t have much of a voice at the beginning I felt. But that’s how I immediately tagged him when he kept talking about how much he was annoyed by his family, etc. That’s typical of a teenage boy, though! Of ANY stereotypical teenager this age, to be exact (and no, teen followers, I’m not generalizing you all or calling you immature/disrespectful and that sort). After the eruption, it’s obvious right-off though where his priorities really lie: his family. He really does care, even if he complains about them getting on his nerves. Just as I’m sure this goes for the majority of teens. So Mullin pulled off the teen voice/attitude quite well, in my opinion. I also found this to be easily readable for any audience, whether male or female. Maybe I could finally get my step-son to enjoy a book because I’m going to try handing it off to him next.

The writing and details of action were amazingly well-done and easy to visualize. Alex’s use of martial arts was a unique trait to his character development, and helped him out a lot along the way. I think that if he hadn’t had that knowledge, he might not have survived as well as he had by himself so long with all the trouble he met along the way. Or at least it would’ve been more of a struggle. So at times, I did find the talent almost convenient… but I also really enjoyed that he had that fascinating quality since it seems like I rarely read any characters with that specialty. And hey, it would’ve been really weird if he’d set out without any kind of survival knowledge or fighting skills whatsoever and somehow managed to just get on by magically without any trouble, am I right? LOL.

I have to admit Darla didn’t draw me in too well, and even by the end I still wasn’t a huge fan of her character. I liked her well enough to get her and I thought the slow-building romance between her and Alex was well done, but I think I will need more time for her to grow on me. Which could only mean one thing: I’m definitely reading book two.

I’m so glad I finally got to sit down and read this frighteningly wonderful book.


 

Review: Tandem

Title: Tandem
Author: Anna Jarzab
Category/Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Romance


Amazon | Books-A-Million


Everything repeats.
You. Your best friend. Every person you know.
Many worlds. Many lives--infinite possibilities.
Welcome to the multiverse.

Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson has only ever known one small, ordinary life. When she was young, she loved her grandfather's stories of parallel worlds inhabited by girls who looked like her but led totally different lives. Sasha never believed such worlds were real--until now, when she finds herself thrust into one against her will.

To prevent imminent war, Sasha must slip into the life of an alternate version of herself, a princess who has vanished on the eve of her arranged marriage. If Sasha succeeds in fooling everyone, she will be returned home; if she fails, she'll be trapped in another girl's life forever. As time runs out, Sasha finds herself torn between two worlds, two lives, and two young men vying for her love--one who knows her secret, and one who thinks she's someone she's not.

The first book in the Many-Worlds Trilogy, Tandem is a riveting saga of love and betrayal set in parallel universes in which nothing--and no one--is what it seems.



I probably should’ve posted my review immediately after I finished reading Tandem (which was actually about a week and a half ago) because that is when I had a lot more to say. The reality of it was that at the end of it, I didn’t care much to review right then. It was such a meh moment that I needed time to mull it over. I probably judged the title this time more on the pretty cover, rather than doing research into checking other reviews and seeing if it’d be something I’d like. Though afterward I’ve noticed I’m probably just the black sheep because it seems to be very well-liked among many readers. The good news is that I remember it at least, so that is always a plus sign. And not going to lie… that is certainly one gorgeous cover. One of my favorites this year probably.

The premise didn’t feel too original to me once I got into the story. I did like the sci-fi elements to give the book its own interesting spin on what would've otherwise been a basic and general idea without it-- and that was what had me hold on throughout the book instead of marking it as a DNF. The idea of alternate dimensions with ‘analogs’, or basically almost like a clone-copy of ourselves, was fascinating. I felt there was an excellent explanation to this. Especially with Sasha's love of Twelfth Night (Shakespeare, holla!). So, I didn’t hate this book or anything--I’d likely recommend it to readers that are interested so they can form their own opinions. My biggest complaints were the characters… and since I’m a reader that largely focuses on characters most of the time, this made it a problem.

This was an unusual case of insta-love, one that I can’t explain completely without putting in minor spoilers. But Sasha goes on the first date with our lead guy/romantic interest and it’s all “Oooh I think I’m falling for him” right then on that very date. I almost put it down right there. But then there's the event of going to the alternate world, and suddenly hates him, and within a short time, right back to the feels. Ha! The girl was a bit confused to say the least. And she was confused often. She didn’t understand half the time when one of the others would answer her questions--leaving them to try and explain again. It was a constant annoyance because it made for a lot of unnecessary info-dumping making it drag in places, and repetitiveness within the story. Particularly when the girl is repeatedly told not to run off because it’s dangerous--and what does she do? Yep. Of course.

The villain was obvious from the start, as with a few of the twists, and this made it for more of meh read. One thing I was glad of though was that it didn’t get all clichéd with a love triangle because it could have been easily set up--though the slight attempt at one is there, it doesn’t necessarily happen.

There were details I would’ve liked more of to get a better feel for the background of the other world. I did like what I took away as being their ruling system--a bit old fashioned compared to our modern practices--and found the descriptions of their technology interesting. But I still felt like areas lacked. I only got a simple explanation of the Libertas and their reasons for rebelling. I also would have liked more about Juliana. More about her side of the story. This could have used a bit more back story maybe and information so there wasn’t so much confusion. Just my opinion, I guess.

All in all, it wasn’t terrible. It certainly picked up within the last hundred pages so I am glad I decided to give it a chance and continue reading instead of putting it down. I am undecided as far as continuing the series though. I’ll have to see. The ending here left off fairly closed, but still a bit unresolved. If you’re a sci-fi fan and have been interested in this title, I’d say give it a chance still. It was a slow build-up of a fascinating world and mystery into a thrilling and memorable read.

 

ARC Review: Injustice: Gods Among Us (#1)

Title: Injustice: Gods Among Us (#1)
Author: Tom Taylor
Release Date: November 19th
Category/Genre: Comics, Graphics, Superheroes, DC

Amazon


Injustice is a prequel that presents and explains the events leading up to the start of the video game from the makers of Mortal Kombat.

Things in the DC Universe have changed after Superman is tricked into destroying the one thing he loves the most. Now unwilling to let crime go unpunished, the heroes of our world must choose if they are with Superman or against him. But not every country will submit to his new world order and neither will Superman's greatest threat—Batman!



There’s going to be a lot to discuss going into this review because, well, it’s a comic… and superheroes… and a complex storyline… and my whole nerdy-love is just going to go BLAM all over the place for the next few paragraphs, okay? Okay.

Now that’s out of the way, I’ll try to sound like a normal human.

That’s probably not really going to happen though.

Here’s the thing about Injustice: It’s DC. And while I’m normally a Marvel fan, I do like some DC characters (preferably not from the newer releases though)--and despite the recent DC controversies, I was still highly fascinated with this premise. After reading a few reviews, I really wanted to read it also. The idea sounded just too cool. Besides, comics are generally quick reads. I wasn’t worried about a time crunch.

The good news about this series is that it’s separate from the New 52 and is its own storyline. In fact, most of what I really enjoyed out of the characters were the feelings of originality/back to their roots in how they’d been created in the first place. There were still some annoyances, of course, and I’ll get to this in just a moment.

What Injustice presents is this world and idea of a possibility that a superhero can turn into the “bad guy” just as easy as a normal good human being can become bad after going through situations, events, etc.. This message left for a lot of thought, too, because to be honest I’d never really considered before the off-chance any of the famed superheroes turning somewhat villainous until I read this installment. They’d always been the good guys.

While I’ve never been a fan of Superman or his story, he is one of the DC characters I know the most details about (all thanks to childhood, movies, television, etc.). Admittedly, I went into this storyline thinking it was going to be a let-down since he is a main character, but I was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out. The fact that I was a fan of Superman’s character in this speaks volumes. If you’re looking for a tortured villain, there he is… and I’m glad to be saying he is in fact a bit of a villain in this series, an actual great fit. It all happens after a tragic accident, and like mentioned above, our superhero snaps. It’s not an obvious turn in the beginning, but a slow burn that sparks a lot of controversy amongst the rest of the Justice League--eventually dividing them. Where Superman is out to ensure a “safe world” that means by any way necessary, Batman is against this new policy--finding it to be trouble. And here I thought Batman would be the bad guy if any of them were to turn. Ha.

So the characters? As I said already, I enjoyed them for the most part because it felt like reading THE characters again. With a few exceptions. I have to confess I have not read much of Wonder Woman or Aquaman, so I’m still learning those characters and their traits and such. Same with The Flash. I have to say that I adored The Flash in this installment, too, and it has now made me want more of his comics. The inner conflict he often fought with was understandable. And Aquaman? I’d always heard jokes that he was lame, but he certainly wasn’t when he was featured here. Not every superhero should be concerned about saving humans. I really like his concept, and I really liked his courage despite the danger he was in. Wonder Woman was awesome at the start of the volume but toward the middle and end, began to taper off. I’m not sure if it was just me and my lack of knowledge/still learning of her background, but I found myself getting easily annoyed with her at times. There were moments when all she seemed concerned with was following Superman around, almost pathetically, obviously hoping for a romantic connection that she wasn’t getting. I’m almost certain this isn’t the characteristics of Wonder Woman. She’s a warrior. Very independent. And yes, there were plenty of action scenes where she fought, but I still felt disconnected to her character in this installment.

A quick side note: Harley Quinn is in this, too. She’s always been one of my favorite comic characters. But I didn’t like her much in the few scenes she was in, except for the start where she did sprinkle in some of her old humor. And maybe it was just me… but I think there was an attempted ship of Green Arrow and Harley? That would be sooo weird.

Wow, okay, I believe I’ve said enough. I think you all get it. I enjoyed the comic book and will definitely be continuing on with this series to see where it will go from here. Besides, the end seemed to leave me off with a brutal cliffhanger.


 

Review: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone (Group Read-A-Long Discussion Review)

Title: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone
Author: Kat Rosenfield
Category/Genre: YA, Mystery, Drama, Contemporary

Amazon


Becca has always longed to break free from her small, backwater hometown. But the discovery of an unidentified dead girl on the side of a dirt road sends the town--and Becca--into a tailspin. Unable to make sense of the violence of the outside world creeping into her backyard, Becca finds herself retreating inward, paralyzed from moving forward for the first time in her life.

Short chapters detailing the last days of Amelia Anne Richardson's life are intercut with Becca's own summer as the parallel stories of two young women struggling with self-identity and relationships on the edge twist the reader closer and closer to the truth about Amelia's death.



Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone was a slow mystery/melodrama surrounding the events of a teenage girl and her small-town life. Alongside this, there was also the story of Amelia, the tragedy of her and her death after her body was discovered on the side of a back road in Becca’s hometown.

I’d received a copy of this book thanks to Wendy Darling after it being on my wish list for the longest. Funnily enough, I hadn’t read much into the reviews, or even focused heavily on the blurb before I came across the book and just knew I wanted it badly. So maybe I had different expectations or ideas of how I thought it was supposed to be, but once I began reading I found I wasn’t exactly reading what I thought I was going to be reading.

Also, at the end of September, I’d done a group read-a-long with Jessie from Ageless Pages Reviews and Lyn from Great Imaginations and we had a lot to discuss regarding the title when finished. So this is a group review as well, by sharing some of the discussion below so you can get the general idea of how I (and they) felt about the book. And I’ve only shared a part--not the whole conversation.

A Portion of a Spoiler-Free Discussion

 

Jessie: So, Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone. Or Amelia Anne Is Dead and Becca Has Boyfriend Problems.
Lyn: That is...the greatest thing I have read.
Lyn: I was a little miffed when the honest-to-Gods good story cut away so we had to read about a high school graduate and her boy issues

Pixie: That's how I felt Jessie. I liked Amelia Anne, but my expectations going into it was at a really high level.. and I was so bummed.

Lyn: I had a high bar set as well.
Lyn: It felt like two different books in one novel.

Jessie and Pixie: YES.

Jessie: I wanted more from each storyline. The switching back and forth helped to make Amelia more of a character, but Becca was left feeling less developed.

Lyn: Becca's part wasn't bad, it did hold a level of beauty, but I liked Amelia's story much more. I think if we had seen the same level of backstory from Amelia, it would have made a much better book.

Pixie: I really liked (though it was so sad) Amelia's story. Wish the whole book would've been THAT and Becca’s would've been cut.

Jessie: I would love to read that book. Amelia was a pretty great character. And Luke had some definite potential as an antagonist. More than Craig anyway.

Lyn: I agree with Pixie that Amelia should have been the focal point of the book - Becca should have been the back burner.

Jessie: And though the storyline wasn't as much as I'd hoped.. I admit I LOVED the writing. From the first page, I thought Rosenfield was talented.

Pixie: I do agree.
Pixie: I’d def read more of her work.

Jessie: Especially if she continues to write like that.

Lyn: The writing is BEAUTIFUL! It was haunting and it had a beautiful flow.
Lyn: If this is what the author promises for the first book, then I am excited to see what else she has to offer. Her prose is lovely and chilling.

Jessie: So, this book was a mixed bag. Some I really enjoyed and some that could use some more work.

Lyn: I think this author shows a lot of promise. I am going to add her to my list to watch. This wasn't a bad book, but I think it would be fair to make a side note

Jessie: I wanted to love it, but I admit I do feel rather lukewarm about it.

Pixie: I'm also lukewarm.


We agreed on some major points--- the biggest things being that the three of us were really taken by the beautiful writing of this book. This author is going on our watch lists for sure, and I already know that I’m looking forward to reading more of her work. It was clear throughout that she was talented at telling a story and creating a cast of characters. Another was that while we’d been slightly let down by the overall story, we did still enjoy it by the end. Mostly because of Amelia’s side of things. So... it didn’t end up being a favorite, but I’m sure I’d still recommend it to someone even the slightest bit interested in this dramatic tale of loss, small-town life, moving on, and mystery.

With that said, I give it a decent 3.5 rating!

Also, I just adore read-a-longs and group discussion reviews, don't you? =D

Review: Mistborn

Title: Mistborn
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Epic Fantasy, Fantasy, High Fantasy

See it at Amazon


Once, a hero arose to save the world. A young man with a mysterious heritage courageously challenged the darkness that strangled the land.

He failed.

For a thousand years since, the world has been a wasteland of ash and mist ruled by the immortal emperor known as the Lord Ruler. Every revolt has failed miserably.

Yet somehow, hope survives. Hope that dares to dream of ending the empire and even the Lord Ruler himself. A new kind of uprising is being planned, one built around the ultimate caper, one that depends on the cunning of a brilliant criminal mastermind and the determination of an unlikely heroine, a street urchin who must learn to master Allomancy, the power of a Mistborn.


This might be one of my harder reviews to write. Maybe even more difficult to write than The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, which many of my readers already know is one of my favorite reads of the year and I gushed insanely over it. I’d never come across any other book that’d struck me so deep until I started reading Mistborn.

Okay, let me admit this before I go into the review: I didn’t always love Epic Fantasy. In fact, I almost always avoided it. With the exception of reading Beowulf, The Hobbit, and part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (I read the first and part of the second--I didn’t even finish the trilogy…Ack!) when I was younger, I just was never into the genre much for a long time. It wasn’t until the last couple of years, probably around the same time I also got into more Contemporary because I wanted to give myseslf more of a variety, that I started to get more into it. I remembered how much I really loved Beowulf and The Hobbit especially, and wanted to find more books to give me those feelings all over again--to give me new worlds, characters, quests, and battles. And for the last couple of years, I've had this intense craving to read so much more fantasy and contemporary that they're quickly becoming my top genres.

This was my first foray into reading anything by Sanderson. Earlier this year, I’d read the first Wheel of Time book (Robert Jordan) and as many of the series’ fans know, he took over the later books after Jordan’s passing. But of course, I can’t count Eye of the World as being a Sanderson read, because it wasn’t only the first book of the series, but it’s still all Jordan’s work anyway--even if I’d continued all the way through (since Sanderson uses all of Jordan’s notes and such) I still wouldn’t have counted it. Ack. I’m getting sooo off-topic. Sorry!

Anyways, you get the idea. Mistborn broke my Sanderson virginity. And I loved every word that found its way into my heart. Not to mention the characters that will live long into my memory. For this being my first Sanderson book, I was whisked away immediately into his imaginative world of Luthadel with skies of ash and cobble-stone streets. Characters that used metals for special abilities and powers fascinated me. It was fresh and unique. I didn't want it to end.

From the first page, I was met with bone-chilling descriptions of a world I wouldn’t have been comfortable living in. Ash falls from the sky by day like a dirty, dusty annoyance--and by night the land is covered in thick, dark mists. I wasn’t stuck waiting long on some drawn-out build-up of anything before the story kicked off within the first few pages--and let me tell you, I was hooked right away to what was happening around these people and their world. I couldn’t put it down. I sat in awe. I smiled. I laughed. I cried. IT RIPPED MY HEART TO SHREDS. I smiled some more. I can’t wait to get to the store soon so that I can buy everything with Sanderson’s name on it.

I was attached to Kelsier from his first appearance on the pages. Admittedly, his character was a surprise to me before I reached the halfway point of reading because I realized he wasn’t going to be any kind of romantic interest for the story (no matter how much I loved him as the reader). Of course, this is understandable through reading--and I’m not going to go into further detail on that note because of possible spoilers. Vin, our other lead, is the heroine of Mistborn. When she made her appearance at first, I have to say that I nearly cried for her and the situation she’d been put in. The immediate sympathy I felt for her character was shocking, but she had personality--an edge--and I liked her. I was certainly happy to watch her development and growth through the book, and cheered for her by the end.

I’d like to ramble about all of the characters, but that would probably take too much time and make this review even longer than it already is. There are many characters, and a complex storyline to follow them along in their adventure, but I didn’t find myself confused like I often did when trying to read an epic fantasy in the past. Sanderson writes with such an easy style that while it’s simple to understand and follow along with, at the same time it’s otherworldly and timeless feeling.

This is one book that will live long in my memory as being a favorite, and will be re-read many times. There's just really not much more I can say than that other than gushing like a giddy fangirl. Which I already have been doing since I finished reading. ;)

 

Review: Darkfever

Title: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Category/Genre: Adult/Romance, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

See it at Goodreads


When MacKayla's sister was murdered, she left a single clue to her death - a cryptic message on Mac's cell phone. Journeying to Ireland in search of answers, Mac is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to master a power she had no idea she possessed - a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae...

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister's death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysteriou Jericho...while at the same time, the ruthless V'lane - an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women - closes in on her. As the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac's true mission becomes clear: to find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book - because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control both worlds in their hands....


Before going into this review, I want to apologize first for having taken so long to get around posting a review at all. I realize it’s been a month since I’ve posted one--and that I’ve been barely entertaining the blog with other useless posts and the average memes since--but I have a perfectly good excuse, to be fair. I got so far ahead in my reading goal through the year that by the time I was around to a certain point, I was just… caught up. On everything. All I had left to do was to read more so that I could post more reviews of the books I was reading as I finished. And this was such an astounding feeling that I truly didn’t know what to do with myself at first. I’m sure you all relate with the weekly stresses of having to get particular reads out of the way, etc. And for the last month I just didn’t have any of those worries. I was able to grab up a couple books from my shelf and have ME time with some reads. And I still can. This feeling is nice.




Granted, don’t mistake me as being completely clear of a schedule. I do have a few e-galleys to be read and another ARC that just came to me in the mail with more on the way because fall always seems to be the busiest time of the year. But I’m not on a tight deadline. And that’s what is so nice about it right now. Haha..

So, yes. Sorry about the delay in getting a review up lately. And I can’t promise that there won’t be anymore delays either. I don’t always read extremely fast, especially during a certain time when life’s moments are just getting in the way and I’m stuck with hardly any time to read on some days. I am working though. ;)

With all that said, I can move on to my review now.


Darkfever came recommended to me by my friend Kelly from PaperFantasies. She even gifted me the book because she wanted me to read it so bad. How could I deny her that? So I stuck to my word and thought I’d give it a shot. She wasn’t the only one I’d heard singing this series praises. Several reviewers I follow seem to enjoy it as well, and I admit that I was curious to see what all the hub-bub was about.

What I hate to admit though is that I wasn’t impressed. In fact, I started reading the book about mid-August. I finished the other day (on the 16th of September). It really shouldn’t have taken me that long to read this paranormal/urban fantasy, especially since it is one of my favorite genres. However, when starting out, I kept finding myself within the first forty pages alone just constantly setting it aside and not caring whether or not if I continued. The narration felt very stiff to me -- and where I should’ve felt sympathy for Mac from the beginning, I couldn’t. This caused an immediate disconnect with her character--and an immediate problem for me. I felt an obligation to press on though, and finally I did when picking it back up earlier this weekend to give it one last chance.

  I guess I could say it did get better. Well enough that once I got past that awfully slow hump of a start, which consisted mostly of Mac narrating an info-dump or talking about how much she enjoyed her fashion or a seemingly emotionless repetitive mention of her sister, I did actually find it to be a compulsive read. It was one of those “must keep reading to find out what happens next” because Moning does know how to keep a reader on their toes with many twists, turns, and action. I also have to say that for me, after reading many books with fae and in the UF genre, the story did feel fresh, and I quite liked that.

The world-building is what made this book work. It’s what made me hold on tightly to the pages and press on with some hope as to something redeeming that start. That’s what did it. Moning is an excellent storyteller. She has built this entire new world, complete with an alternate full of fae that invisibly surround us on a daily basis, and made it rather terrifying and realistic actually. To top it off, throw in some ancient artifacts, a bit of history and adventure, IRELAND, and you have a pretty darn good story. The details were also quite creepy and well-done, making me glad that I’m obviously not a sidhe-seer. Whew.



My largest problem? The two main characters. Mac often came across as stubborn, childish, and dim. It really annoyed me with the constant “I don’t believe you… Okay, I believe you…. Nevermind, I don’t anymore.” Also, how many times does one have to repeat “You’re life is in danger. It’s best you stay in for a bit” until it goes through that thick skull? Just made me hate the characters more. The repetitiveness of everything. When something wasn’t really happening much, it felt like I was reading the same thing between the two of them. Sister. Oh so pretty fashion. Don’t go out! I don’t believe you! Okay I believe you. No I don’t! This is impossible--HOW CAN THIS BE?! I said, don’t go out because you’re in danger!
Oops. I went out.

And scene.

Now, about Jericho Barrons. I’m sure the fans are going to hate me for this one. But WTF? I initially had a lot of interest in this because of all the gushing and OMGs for Barrons. That was the biggest letdown evah, my peeps. You better hope he gets better in future installments. I couldn’t find myself attracted to his character because he was an abusive ass. I don’t mean just emotionally (though he certainly had problems in that area as well by constantly belittling Mac), but physically. Gripping her around the ribs, causing them to bruise bad enough that it makes it troublesome for her to walk later, as well as then clamping a hand down over her mouth and nose long enough to nearly suffocate her? Picking her up by her throat in a chokehold, dangling her in the air against the wall because he was angry? Yeahhhh… if that’s not abusive behavior, please someone tell me what is? The only good thing I can say is that the behavior only happened a few times in the beginning and stopped. So thankfully, I didn’t have to read an entire book with that, and with some hope, he doesn’t get like that in any other installments again. And before any fans try to come at me about this: OKAY, I get it. In this installment he’s “technically” not a love interest. But that shouldn’t matter because it’s still not cool no matter what. Outside of this problem area, I still wasn’t entirely fond of his character. He was evasive. Too oddly mysterious. And rather vapid.

V'lane is another character, but didn't make much of an appearance. When he did, I got a headache. I'd really not like to get started on him though.




With all this said, I’m sure you’re thinking I absolutely hated the book. I really didn’t. Writing reviews this lengthy means I did care enough that it was worth this time for me. It wasn’t one of the great books I’d read this year, but it was an entertaining one that I’ll remember at least. I can see the appeal and understand the compulsive quality to reading this series. It has a flair and charm that brings a fresh look on the fae to the urban fantasy genre. Will I continue? Of course. I’m interested to see what’s to come next for the characters and the world surrounding them. Besides, I heard it only got better from here…and if that’s true, then I must.