Review: Blood Red Road

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Book Rating: 5/5 Stars
Cover Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Reading level: Young Adult

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (June 7, 2011)

 Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

THOUGHTS: Blood Red Road is not like any book I've ever read before. The writing style  is poetic, the way the words flow is stunning. At I was hesitant to buy this book. I thought it sounded too cliche, I guess. But once I got a sample of it on my Kindle, I was sucked in. The world is stunning in the amount of detail put into it. It feels real- when you hear the descriptions of places, you can practically feel the hot wind.  I think that book brings something to the table for everyone- epicfight scenes, romance, adventure- you name it. Even if you don't totally love this book, you can at least find something in it that you do like. 

SETTING: The book starts out in Silverlake, a desolate place where Saba, Lugh, Emmi, Nero, and their father live. (Just to clarify- Nero is a crow. A very bad ass crow that sits on Saba's shoulder.) As the story progresses, you pass through several diverse places. Some are forested, others are abandoned "wrecker" towns, and some are big, trashy, hellish cities. There's even a castle. It's pretty amazing. 


CHARACTERS: Let me just say that I love Saba. She will literally go to the ends of the earth for those she loves. She won't give up- ever. She's brave and strong. And she really, really grows as  a character. At first, she's cold and hard- the only person she really loves is Lugh. But as you get into the book,  Saba starts making friends, learning to trust,and  learning to love. I've never been able to really get a sense of character growth before, but this book definitely had that element. Another character that grew substantially thought the book was Emmi. She starts as a pouty crybaby, and by the end of the book, she's as fierce and brave as her big sister. She was my favorite character. 
 And then, there is Jack. Jack is just... hot. Smart. Funny. Sarcastic. And he loves Saba- a lot. You can tell he's been through a lot. He acts hard on the outside, but on the inside, he's mushy. Like a roasted marshmallow. (Yes. I totally just used that description.) He's the water to Saba's fire. 
 Some other important characters are Ash, Epona, and Maev. My favorite is probably Epona- She's smart and possibly the bravest one in the book. I like Maev and Ash okay, but Maev isn't mind blowing and something about Ash annoys me. I don't know.
 And the whole reason for the book: Lugh. He was the ONLY problem I had with the book. I would have liked to know him a little better, so I could see why Saba adored him so much. I get it, they're twins. They've gotta be close, and I know they are. I just wish that we had gotten to see him a bit more. 


PLOT: The plot in this book is addictive. All Saba wanted was to get her brother back, but as she learns about exactly why he was taken from her, she realizes that she's gonna have to do a lot more than taking down a few guys and untying some rope. There's even mythical creatures- hellwurms- which I did not expect but is totally awesome. The fight scenes are epic, but haven't I already mentioned that? Well, it deserves to be mentioned twice. They are EPIC. I really, completely, totally recomend this book. It's a great summer read. 


FIRST SENTENCE: "Lugh got born first."


LAST SENTENCE: "Hey, he says, what're you doin back there? I ain't got a clue where we're goin. Git on up here and lead the way.
 So I do."

60 Followers Giveaway!

 So, I got to sixty followers! When I started this blog, it seemed like 20 followers would be a silly dream. I've made so many friends through this blog, and I'm happy to be able to say that I'm part of the book blogging community. So, this is my thank you for being awesome.
UPDATE: Oh. My. God. Can I just say how much you people rock? I am now only 11 followers away from having 100. This completely blows my mind. I love you all! <3 I am not going to have a 100 follower giveaway, because my birthday is next month and I plan to have a big giveaway for that. But, thank you all SO much. This means the world to me. :D
 UPDATE: I can't belive that this started off as a 60 follower giveaway, and now I've passed 100. I appriciate this so much, you guys. I <3 You all.

CONTEST RULES: 
 1. There will be ONE winner.
 2. You can pick one out of six books.
 3. The contest closes July 30th at midnight!
 4. You MUST be a follower.
 5. You can only enter once, but you can get an extra entry through tweeting.

Book of The Week #3

 Book of the week is a weekly post about a particular book coming out sometime during the current week. If you feel that I in anyway copied you, then I am sorry. It was not intentional.


 This week's book is Ripple by Mandy Hubbard. First, the cover is just SO. PRETTY. Something else that draws me to this book is that it's about a siren- and I absolutely love stories about ocean mythology. I can't wait to read this book.


Released July 12, 2011. 
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 Goodreads Summary: Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

                                                                            

Review: My Soul To Steal

My Soul To Steal by Rachel Vincent

Book Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Cover Rating: 4/5 Stars

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (December 21, 2010)

 Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can't just pretend nothing happened. But "complicated" doesn't even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn't just an ordinary girl. She's a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people's fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn't above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

 THOUGHTS: I've adored this series from book one, and it seems the books only keep getting better. I think the concept of these books is very original, and I loves Kaylee's voice. She's smart, sarcastic, and a lot like what I wish I could be. Not to mention, she's surrounded by freaking gorgeous guys. This books writing is past paced- you absolutely don't want to set it down. I probably stared at my Kindle for -what, six hours?- until I finished it. And wile the romance in this book is on the low, you can practically feel the emotional storm Kaylee's going to go through in the next book. 

SETTING: The setting isn't really all that immportant except for the fact that a way-too-powerful Hellion controls the Netherworld that overlaps with the town. That Hellion would be Avari- a Greed Hellion who is totally menacing and the perfect foe. Other than that, nothing of note, really. 

CHARACTERS: I've been reading these books since the first one came out, and the characters in them feel like old friends. I just love reading these books because of that. Like I said, I adore Kaylee. She's the perfect heroine. And-let me just say it- I am Team Tod all the way. Dark, sexy, funny reaper who looks like an Angel but certainly isn't one? He's got so much more to him than good looks- he's loyal to no end. In the last book, he even goes as far as to punch Nash because of what Nash did to Kaylee. When his girlfriend Addy is taken by a Hellion, he stops at nothing protect her and even when he fails, he doesn't give up.   Because Tod is just made of awesome like that. 

 Now, on to Nash. Honestly, I never liked him. At least, not for Kaylee. He's an alright character, but him and Kaylee just don't mesh. They did, for a while- but Kaylee changed. She got stronger. Nash didn't. So, cue Sabine.  I absolutely just want to tear into her and rip her to pieces. She's a slut, number one. She's a bitch, number two. And number three, she acts like just because she's had a hard time she should get whatever she wants. I could come up with lots of other reasons, but let's leave it at three. 

 But. When she's with Nash, although I still find her completely infuriating, something in her changes. She's different. I think Nash does love her- he just won't admit it. Not even to himself, because he's so desperate to have back Kaylee- too bad he gave Kaylee up, huh? While he gave his and Kay's memories together away, he kept his and Sabine's. If that doesn't say something about what's going to happen to their relationship, I don't know what does. And, quite honestly, I hope with every fiber of my being that Kaylee ends up with Tod- and this book hints at that. So I'm ecstatic. 

PLOT: At first in this series, I couldn't really see where the entire plot was going. But now, I'm getting it. Something major is going on in the Netherworld- something bad- and it's Kaylee's job to stop it.  Meanwhile, the plot of this one book was fantastic. You had your attention diverted from what was really happening by Sabine and completely forgot about what Avari was up to. Because, well, when a Hellion shows up, nothing ever ends well and without some scar tissue. The build up is steady- and the climax is every bit worth the wait. I probably squealed in fear a few times, actually. (And, in the end, it was Tod that saved Kaylee, not Nash. Just felt the need to point that out. GO TOD!) If you haven't read this series, you're definitely missing out. It's an amazing book, and I have great respect for Rachel Vincent. I highly recommend it. 

FIRST SENTENCE: "By the time the second semester of my junior year had began, I'd already faced down rouge grim reapers, an evil entertainment mogul, and hellions determined to possess my soul."

LAST SENTENCE: "But as I watched Sabine watching Nash watch me, I realized something I should have understood much sooner- as horrifying a threat as the Netherworld represented, learning to trust again in my own world might just be the scariest thing I ever had to do. "

Author Interview: M. M. Shelley

Blurb:

For centuries magical beings have hidden in the darkness, waiting. Some good, some evil. A battle is brewing, and only twins, Grasiella and Tatiana, have the power to stop it.

Buy links: Amazon, B&N, Smashwords

Bio:  

M.M. Shelley is a storyteller, wordsmith and dreamer. MISHAP AND MAYHEM, a captivating story of faerie's and magic, is her debut novel. She has traveled the world extensively in search of the magic which is often overlooked in every day life. M.M. Shelley is a native of southern California, and a student of mythology from which she gets much inspiration.

Links: www.mmshelley.com  / http://mmshelley.blogspot.com/

___________________________________

RR: I am a dreamer and I enjoy travel. Mythology has always been a favorite of mine; it’s what helped shape my imagination. Traveling to different places and experiencing different cultures is dear to my heart.

TF: What inspired you to write Mishap & Mayhem? 

RR: I spent sometime in Hawaii, traveling to the different islands. Waimea Canyon which is the Grand Canyon of the Pacific and can be found on Kauai Island is where I drew much inspiration. Another was from my two nieces who were spending the weekend with their grandmother, that’s when the two connected and Mishap & Mayhem was born.

TF: What is Mishap & Mayhem about? 

RR: For centuries magical beings have hidden in the darkness, waiting. Some good, some evil. A battle is brewing, and only twins, Grasiella and Tatiana, have the power to stop it.

It’s the summer of the year 2045, and sixteen year old Grasiella, along with her twin sister, Tatiana plan to visit their grandmother in Hawaii. They have no idea that when they arrive on the island of Kauai, they are about to be drawn into a secret, the secret, of their family’s dark origins and magical powers.

On the first day of their arrival, their grandmother is accused of a horrible crime involving a faerie. Whispers have spread throughout the islands about the disappearance of a faerie named Sita Knook and her connection to a mysterious group known only as the Cinerians. Before long, Grasiella and Tatiana are doing battle with ancient races and magical beings.

All the while trying to retrieve an ancient stone of power and impress a couple of local surfers, Kana’i and Kye, cousins who have some pretty exciting family secrets of their own. It’s pretty serious stuff for two girls who were planning to spend the summer at the beach getting tans, but then that’s the trouble with secrets, sometimes they just don't stay buried.

TF: Who is your favorite character to write, and why? 

RR: I really enjoyed writing the twins because they are both so different and yet are both motivated by the same things.

TF: Who was the most challenging character to write? 

RR: The most challenging one to write was Pele, the Hawaiian fire goddess. I have Hawaiian friends and I wanted to be careful not to offend them with my interpretation of Pele. I found Pele to have a quick temper, judgmental and not to fond for ‘Haoles’ who are offlanders. She has a great love for her people and a protective nature toward them.

TF: What was the hardest scene in the book to write?

RR: Mishap & Mayhem does have a prologue, and that was the hardest for me to write. It was important because I had to explain why there was a great mistrust of the faeries toward the humans and what had caused it.

TF: What inspired you to write?

RR: Growing up with four brothers who always outvoted me on what we were going to watch on TV. I was drawn more and more to reading and eventually I started writing my own stories.

TF: What is your favorite book?

RR: There are so many great books that I’ve read so it’s hard to pick. As a child my favorite was Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn. I’ve always loved a good ghost story. I’m a fan of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte. Edgar Allan Poe is another one of my favorites.

TF: What  hobbies do you have, other than writing?

RR: I do know how to Crochet, its something my grandmother taught me. I also study Kung Fu and have a black belt in Tai Shing Pek Kwar, and I also play the Djembe drum.

TF: How long did it take you to write Mishap & Mayhem? 

RR: It took me about three to four months to write Mishap & Mayhem. This includes my research and creating character backgrounds.

TF: If you had a superpower what would it be? Also, what is your favorite mythical creature? 

RR: I’ve was asked this once before and I thought my superpower would be the ability to heal. That was until it was pointed out to me that if I became a Doctor I would have the ability to heal. My favorite mythical creature is the unicorn. Ever since I watched the movie, ‘Legend’ I thought they were beautiful.

TF: Thanks for your time and good luck with your book! 

RR: Thanks to you too for your great questions! I invite everyone to check out my blog: mmshelley.blogspot.com and to follow me on twitter @MM_Shelley

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Review: Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Book Rating: 5/5 Stars

Cover Rating: 3/5 Stars

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (May 3, 2011)

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. 

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

THOUGHTS: Divergent is easily one of the best books I have ever read. At first, I didn't even want to buy this book. I have nothing against Dystopian, it's just not my favorite genre, the only exception being The Hunger Games and, of course, Divergent. After I read the first 100 pages online, I fell quickly in love with the story. I think the Factions are one of the things that drew me into the book. In my opinion, everyone has a little bit of everything in them- good, bad, wise, brave, selflessness, peacefulness- and this book conveyed that message in the most beautiful way.  I literally read this book in five hours. It grabs your attention with a steel grip- you won't want to do anything until you get this book done. Overall, it was a beautifully written, thought provoking book that leaves a huge impact. 

SETTING: Most of this book takes place in Dauntless headquarters, a place which is both scary and amazing. The Pit, a huge place containing an overlook to deadly drop into a roaring river, definitely sends chills down your spine. Dauntless headquarters is a place where everything is free, or the closest you can get to freedom you can get in Tris's world, and freedom is always scary, but beautiful.

CHARACTERS: Tris has to be one of my all-time favorite heroines. She's not too self-assured, but she's not insecure, either. She's badass and she doesn't even realize it. And, honestly, when I opened the book up, I wasn't expecting much of a romance. Wow, I was SO wrong. Four is..... just yum. First, he would do anything to save Tris. Anything. He's also mysterious which, you know, is always super attractive and adds a note of danger to the romance. Plus the thing about having only four fears- I mean, four? My list would probably be about a foot long, including many big frownie faces . Another person who I loved was Tris's Mom. When Tris switched Factions, while her Dad got angry, her mother was proud of Tris through it all. There are countless other important, well developed characters in this book, all of them leaving an impact on Tris's life. One definitely worthy of mention is Al. When he betrayed Tris, I honestly never expected it. It was like a punch in the gut. And when he did, well, what he did, I cried. No, bawled is the word for it. But it was real. This book was so believable it's scary- I felt like I was reading a real-life diary. 

PLOT: This book, along with it's awesome, make-you-think-words, has some pretty dang epic fight scenes, along with a suspenseful plot. While Tris is just trying to make it through Initiation alive, her being Divergent makes that twice as hard. Not only does she have to deal with the threat of jealous initiates who are more than willing to take her out of the game for good, but she also has to hide the fact that she's Divergent from the law- or die. The ending really lives up to the book. It all happens so fast, and it's like everywhere Tris turns another tragedy is waiting around the corner. I cried, I laughed, heck, I even ran in circles around my house. This book is everything you could search for in a book, plus everything you couldn't hope to find but wish you could. If you haven't read this book, and, like me, are a little iffy about Dystopian, DON'T BE! This book was amazing. Just go read it.

FIRST SENTENCE: "There is one mirror in my house."

LAST SENTENCE: "I am no longer Tris, the selfless of Tris, the brave. I suppose that now, I must become more than either."

Review: Starcrossed

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Book Rating: 4/5 Stars

Cover Rating: 5/5 Stars

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (May 31, 2011)

 How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

THOUGHTS: Starcrossed was captivating. At first, I couldn't really get into it, but once Helen met Luke and things started happening, it was addictive. I loved the Greek mythology threaded through the book, although I wish there would have been more. I do like how the Fates were portrayed, though. Very creepy, but in a good way, and the whole dream-but-not-a-dream is another great part of the book. 


SETTING: Helen lives in Nantucket, off the radar for her own safety, even if she doesn't know it at first. I love the beach, so, of course, I loved the setting, even though you really didn't get to know much about the town. I would have liked it if there had been a better description. 


CHARACTERS: I started off not hating Helen, but not loving her either, and by the end of the book I like her, but, again, she's not my favorite protagonist. It's nothing I can pinpoint, she just felt far too..... average. Like you could walk out on the street and find a girl just like her. And that brings me to my next point: Lucas. While I do love him, I honestly don't see how he fits with Helen, or why he loves her. I mean, I get it. History repeats itself, and the fates like patterns, and it's the perfect time for a forbidden couple. I just wish that there was something else besides the Fates that brings Helen and Lucas together. Another thing is the Delos family. While I did get a little confused about who's kid was who's for a while, I loved the fact that he had a big family. It sort of makes it feel.... I don't know. I just like it. 


PLOT: The plot was one of the best part of this book. Through the book, you keep learning about the war,   Helen's absentee Mom, and a bunch of other stuff that just stacks on so many layers of suspense. And, let me tell you, the climax lived up to the build up. I was literally gasping and yelling at the characters. The ending was heart-stopping, and it left me seriously worried about one of the characters. I fell completely in love with this book, and while there were a few things I would have changed, it's still an amazing read. I highly recommend it. 


FIRST SENTENCE: "But if you bought me a new car now, it would be your's when I go away to school in two years." 


LAST SENTENCE: "Helen, beloved of the goddess of love, went downstairs to crawl into her empty bed as Lucas, the son of the sun, leaned back on his elbows and watched as his father-god brightened the bare wooden planks of her widows walk."