Review: Haven

Haven by Kristi Cook

( Amazon , Goodreads)

Book Rating: 2/5 Stars

Cover Rating: 4/5 Stars

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (February 22, 2011)

One month into her junior year, sixteen-year-old Violet McKenna transfers to the Winterhaven School in New York’s Hudson Valley, inexplicably drawn to the boarding school with high hopes. Leaving Atlanta behind, she’s looking forward to a fresh start--a new school, and new classmates who will not know her deepest, darkest secret, the one she’s tried to hide all her life: strange, foreboding visions of the future.

But Winterhaven has secrets of its own, secrets that run far deeper than Violet’s. Everyone there--every student, every teacher--has psychic abilities, 'gifts and talents,' they like to call them. Once the initial shock of discovery wears off, Violet realizes that the school is a safe haven for people like her. Soon, Violet has a new circle of friends, a new life, and maybe even a boyfriend--Aidan Gray, perhaps the smartest, hottest guy at Winterhaven.

Only there’s more to Aidan than meets the eye--much, much more. And once she learns the horrible truth, there’s no turning back from her destiny. Their destiny. Together, Violet and Aidan must face a common enemy--if only they can do so without destroying each other first.

 INTRO & SETTING: This book really disappointed me.  It had a lot of potential it didn't live up to.. The setting was a positive, though, because Winterhaven school is definitely a fascinating place, but it seems a little unrealistic. A high school with a movie theater, two cafes, and an on-sight chapel? A college, sure. But High School? Uh-Uh.

 CHARACTERS: Again, disappointment. Violet really intruiged me, part of the reason I picked up this book is so I could see what she would do with her gift, precognition, but that fell totally flat. After she met Aidan, Violet and anything about her were second- hand. Aidan is supposed to be captivating, but I found him depressing and moody, and not attractive-moody. And it's obvious what he is after a few chapters, so that leaves you exhasperated at Violet for being so oblivious to what's right in front of her. Their romance wasn't real at all- they were in love by chapter nine. Her group of friends, other girls at Winterhaven, don't have much to them. I found them shallow and annoying, and the same goes for many of the other characters.

 PLOT: This is the most disappointing part of the book. It's way overdone. Aidan won't shut up about himself being "a monster" and all Violet ever thinks about is Aidan. And the bad guys, Julius & Co., fail. There's not a real motive, at least not a powerful one, and they're defeated easily and quickly. Other than these "bad guys", the plot centers around Violet and Aidan's little romance. 

 RANT SPACE: Honestly, this is a petty book. Violet never has to sacrifice anything except comfort, and Aidan is a sob story. I lean torwards characters that take responsiblity and try to save others and not just themselves. This whole book is about saving Aidan, and while that is a worthy cause, shouldn't there be more at stake? This isn't a book I would recommend.

Review: Need

Need by Carrie Jones

Book Rating: 4/5 Stars

Cover Rating: 4/5 Stars

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books; Reprint edition (December 8, 2009)

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.

 INTRO & SETTING: I really enjoyed reading this book. In fact, I got yelled at in science class because I wouldn't put it down. I loved the phobias listed as chapter titles, too. Very creative.  I like the setting, and it add a certain creepy chill to the book, although I agree with Zara: the cold is freaking awful. 

  

CHARACTERS:The characters were great, too. Zara is spunky and smart, and a really strong MC. Nick (the love interest) is smart, strong, and super sexy, with just the right amount of protectiveness. And Betty, Zara's grandma, is epic and totally kick-ass. I wish my grandma was that cool. My only problem was that Zara was often portrayed as brave, when some things she did were really just stupid. There are some other characters, but I can't really tell you about them without dishing a bunch of spoilers. 

  

PLOT: The plot was really cool. It's centered around pixies (NOT the little fluttery things) and weres of all sorts, including weretigers, werewolves, and werebears (hehe. That rhymes). But, again, I try to to keep my reviews spoiler-free, so I can't really tell you much else. It's pretty much Zara's struggle to forget her father, learn to love again, be brave, and find out what she really is. Big whirlpool of wonderful, right? (That was sarcasm, for those of you who didn't guess).

 RANT SPACE: Honestly, I don't have anything to rant about. The only thing is that it had a few dull scenes and some plot holes that weren't very major. That's about it. Overall, it was a really good book. There were no spelling errors or anything like that, which always makes me happy. So you should definitely give this book a go!

IMM (4)

In My Mailbox is hosted my Kristi over at The Story Siren.
 So this week, the book fairy blessed me with:
BOUGHT:

Angelfire by Courtney Moulton (Amazon , Goodreads)


RECIEVED:

Need by Carrie Jones (Amazon, Goodreads)
Thanks, Heather!

Daily Dose (3)

Daily Dose is hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly.
 This week I decided to do all stars, since stars are pretty and would like to live in them. 

Review: Darkness Becomes Her

 Darkness Becomes Her- Kelley Keaton

5/5 Stars

 (Amazon , Goodreads)

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (February 22, 2011)

Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is. Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.
She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.
Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

IMM (3)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kirsti over at The Story Siren.
 This weeks IMM is two weeks combined, as last Sunday my laptop was broken.
 This week & last week I got:

BOUGHT:

 Wither by Luaren DeStefano (Amazon , Goodreads)
 Haven by Kristi Cook (Amazon , Goodreads)
 Darkness Becomes Her by Kelley Keaton (Amazon , Goodreads)
 Shadow by Jenny Moss (Amazon , Goodreads)
 Incantation by Alice Hoffman (Amazon , Goodreads)

 I'm so excited to read every one of these! Hope you all got some awesomesuace stuff this week too!

Skittles and Lemonade,
       Riley:D

Because-We-Love-You Giveaway!

So! My bestest friend Brielle though up an idea for a little giveaway. Now, I love me some giveaways, and I KNOW all you people do too!

 So here's what we want to gift one lucky little person!

This awesomesuace stuff would include:

Swoon by Nina Malkin (Amazon - Goodreads)

Immortal by Gillian Shields (Amazon - Goodreads)

Signed Meant to Be by Tiffany King Trading Card

Signed Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout Bookmark

Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready Card

Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready Card

 (Riley and Brielle)

                 Much love from both of us! I've made so many new friends through
                                 blogger, and love you ALLL! *big cheesy smile*


Rules:
You must follow us both. This will be checked.
Do not enter twice. It will not help you, because the second entry will be deleted.


Also:
This contest will end on April 29th at midnight!
The winner will be contacted through email. If the winner does not respond with 48 hours, another winner will be drawn. Winners will be selected through Random.org. I will include a photo of the number for verification. Thank you all!

Waiting On Wednesday (5)

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

(Amazon , Goodreads)

"Lenzi hears voices. She also sees visions--gravestones, floods, a gorgeous guy with steel gray eyes. She knows she must be going crazy, just like her dad did. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't do anything to help, and the voices just keep getting louder, the visions more intense. But when Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, everything makes sense.

Sort of.

He tells Lenzi that she's a reincarnated Speaker--someone who can talk to lost souls and help them move on--and that he has been her Protector for centuries. But instead of embracing her abilities, Lenzi struggles between her life as the girlfriend of a sexy musician and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. Yet time is running out; a malevolent spirit has been trying to destroy Lenzi for ages, and he will surely kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

Her choices are clear: Destiny or normalcy. Alden or Zak. Life or death."

 Skittles and Lemonade,
       Riley:D

Teaser Tuesday: Prophecy of The Sisters by Michelle Zink

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

(Amazon , Goodreads)

 "And then  the whispering begins.  It is the same whispering I heard the night before coming to the Dark Room. But this time it's threatening, as if warning me off, telling me to go back. A cold sweat breaks out on my brow, and I begin to tremble. No, not tremble. Shake. I shake so violently my teeth begin to clatter before I sink to the floor in front of the rug. A small voice of self-preservation shouts at me to leave, to forget about the Dark Room altogether.
But I must see for myself. I must."

Skittles and Lemonade,
      Riley:D

Daily Dose (2)

 Daily Dose is hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly.

 

Win a copy of Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Just found an awesome contest for a book I've been drooling over for a while now. Check it:
http://www.totalbookaholic.com/2011/03/im-very-happy-to-have-gwen-hayes-on.html

Review: Wither

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

5/5 Stars

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster

 Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

 AHMAZING! First off, I love the cover. When I bought the book, I sat there and petted it all creepily. And I'm pretty sure the caged bird has to do with the whole "Why does the caged bird sing?" thing. Second, I adore her name. I like the way Rhine sounds when you say it. 
 So, on to the meat of the book.
 As soon as I started this book, it grabbed me. I could not put it down. I read it in two days, and it only took me that long because I had to go to school. The writing is so stunning and deep, and the world is painted up around you. I became so into this book, I didn't eat the night I bought it. I wasn't hungry. Except for maybe more of this book.
 Rhine is so different in her time. She's smart enough not to get killed and be strong when she needs to be. The world of Wither is so fascinating and intriguing- as well as disturbing. A world where prostitution and polygamy is well-accepted and understood. A world where you know when you are going to die and you know that its going to be long and painful. 
 The sister wives- Cecily and Jenna- are so different. Rhine is determined, strong, but still able to be kind. Cecily is eager to be more of a grown up than she is at 13, and Jenna is so sad and full of hate. But still, they really become sisters.
 Linden.. is Linden. He's the House Governor, the husband to the wives. He isn't cruel. He's not forceful. He's just sweet and sad. His father, Housemaster Vaughn, is disgusting. The pervy rich old man that makes your skin crawl. I've met one of those- do not recommend it. 
 And then, *swoon*, Gabriel. Blue eyed Gabriel. He is the guy I've dreamed about- Rhine is going to have to move over. 
 Well, I'm talking too long. All I can say is that you need to read this book. Totally recommend it. All the way.

Review: Wondrous Strange

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

4/5 stars

(Amazon , Goodreads)

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (December 23, 2008)

17 year-old Kelley Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what she thinks... In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelley's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye.

 So, I'm a bit late on this review, seeing as Wondrous Strange came out in 2008. But I loved it! I have a soft spot for anything Faery, and let me tell you, this IS Faery. And they combined it with my all-time favorite play. Could it get any better?  Well, maybe.
 Kelley is perfect for her role in this book, but I feel like the characters are kind of shallow. It;s probably just because I'm not a huge fan of third person, because I just feel like you can't get a REALLY close feel to the characters. Don't get me wrong! When Kelley and Sonny were in danger or in battle, I cared about them. But I just couldn't get a really personal feel.
 But the Faery world writing is exquisite. It's a bit different from what I'm used to, as when I think of Faery I think of Oberon as the Seelie King and Mab as Winter. But this book totally pulls it off.
  I learned some more about Faery legends which is awesome, I love it when authors let you learn a little in their books. I know, I know. Nerd alert.
 Overall, this is a great read. I recommend it all the way.

Waiting On Wednesday (4)

Die For Me by Amy Plum

(Amazon , Goodreads)



"My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.
Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.
Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.
Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.
While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?"
 Skittles and Lemonade,
      Riley:D

Teaser Tuesday- Meant To Be by Tiffany King

Meant To Be by Tiffany King

( Amazon , Goodreads)

 "It seemed selfish to be so melancholy when I had literally met the guy of my dreams. I should be jumping for joy at my good fortune, but instead I was filled with doubts about the stableness of our relationship in light of the dreams. Could the dreams really mean that he was going to leave me? Maybe I just wasn't what he was expecting after dreaming about me for so long."

Skittles and Lemonade,
      Riley:D

Daily Dose (1)

 Daily Dose is hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly.

IMM (2)

                             In My Mailbox is hosted by Kirsti over at The Story Siren.

So, this weekend I got:

 FROM THE LIBRARY:

  Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick ( Amazon , Goodreads)
  Nevermore by Kelley Creagh ( Amazon , Goodreads)

Sadly, I didn't get to buy any books this week. But I am debating on picking a book from my wishlist to buy on my kindle, so that'll be on next weeks IMM.

Skittles and Lemonade,
    Riley:D