Review: Graffiti Moon - Cat Crowley

Title: Graffiti Moon

Author: Cat Crowley

Release Date:February 14th 2012

Publisher:Random House

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. 

Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

After reading books and books full of heavy, dramatic, dystopian and fantasy, you can say I am pretty tired of that (well not really, but you know what I mean). So Graffiti Moon is the perfect book to read if you wanted to get away from all the tears and what-not. This is unlike any book I've ever seen, and one of the most sweetest love story ever. This takes place just in one night (which made me wary) but the execution of everything was spotless and perfect.. I've lost count of how many times this book has made me laugh-out-loud. Lucy, Ed, Leo, Jazz, Daisy and Dylan all added something unique to the story.  

This book is told in two point-of-views (Ed's and Lucy's)  and a glimpse of Ed's friend,Leo's poems. The two main lead characters were very realistic and I could picture them as clear as if they're real. Ed is totally swoon-worthy and I actually preferred his narration and background even more than Lucy's. Even though he's not academically smart, his knowledge about life and his passion for art won me over. Lucy has a great sense of humor and a very relatable female lead. Their chemistry together was SIZZLING. Whoa. Take note everyone, that is how you write a good love story. I love their backstory and that how they met was different - imagine how awkward it would be if you broke someone's nose on your first date (because they grabbed your arse) and now you're spending a night looking for someone with them. Eek.

This book is different. This book makes you look and see the world differently. I've never read a book with graffiti artists, nor did I want to before reading this book's summary. It helps you to look past prejudice and how everything that you seem to know was a lie. Some of the passages in the book were very meaningful, and I found myself repeating them 'cause they were just so beautiful.

This is a contemporary that shouldn't be missed, so if you enjoyed Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door or The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, then I can assure you, you will fall in love with GRAFFITI MOON. Just as much as I did. 

(Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.)

In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It’s a super fun meme where we gush about the books we got during the week.

BOUGHT                                        ::: 01  :::

:Tempest (Tempest #1) - Julie Cross (I kinda cheated on my Book Ban but it was only £4!) 

BORROWED                                   ::: 01  :::

: Everneath (Everneath #1) - Brodi Ashton 

FOR REVIEW                                 ::: 01  ::: 

: The Alchemy of Forever (Incarnation #1) - Avery Williams (already reviewed)

SWAG                                            ::: 02  :::

: Blood Red Road postcards (yay! Loved BRR)

: Vampire Academy - Rose and Dimitri postcards with two tattoos

Review: Everneath - Brodi Ashton

Title: Everneath (Everneath #1)

Author: Brodi Ashton

Release Date: January 24th 1012

Publisher: Harper Collins / Balzer and Bray

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

I was NOT expecting to love this book. At all. Not even expecting to like it one bit. BUT OHMYGOSH GUYS THIS BOOK IS JUST AMAZING!!! Sorry for the caps, but seriously. You need to read this book. Right now. I can't tell you how much this book surprised me in a lot of ways. REALLY GOOD WAYS.

I never planned on reading this one, you wanna know why? 'Cause it's a paranormal and excuse me but, I am so ******* tired of paranormal. The popular and over-rated genre is still dominating the shelves, but only a few truly deserves it. EVERNEATH is one of those who do. Like I said before, I wasn't planning on reading this not just because it's a paranormal but also because it has a mythology retelling twist. AND YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I HATED STARCROSSED by Josephine Angelini. I hate that book with a passion. Argh. Did not finish. And by then, I kinda got turned off stories with Gods/Goddesses and Mythologies. But Everneath is an exception. It's everything I wanted ABANDON (by Meg Cabot)  and STARCROSSED to be like, but wasn't. I just want to say Thank You, Brodi Ashton :-).

The mythology and the plot was very interesting, I read this in a very short period of time, and even when I was at school I couldn't get my head out of EVERNEATH. The whole Everling thingy was so creepy yet fascinating, and I along with Nikki (the protagonist) couldn't wait to unravel and find out more about Everneath. The plot kept me turning the pages even when my eyes were threatening to close because I was so tired and my mind and brain was battling out whether to give in or not. 

I really admired Nikki. Even after all the shit that she went through during the Feed, both physically and mentally, she still remained strong and calm and loyal. Her reactions and emotions felt true to me, and I even though she kinda annoyed me at the first few chapters, I could understand why she did what she did. Besides, there was nothing she could do about it now. Her scenes with Jack was very heartbreaking and bittersweet. Definitely adding Nikki and Jack to my list of favourite YA couples.

Jack. Oh, Jack. He is so dreamy and swoonworthy that he even deserves his own paragraph. At the start, I thought he would be one of THOSE jerks-players who thinks they're God's gift to women but oh no. Jack was sooo sweet and just an all round nice guy. But that doesn't mean he's perfect. Because he is so not, but that's what made me fall for him. He's still has some faults, and there were times when I wanted to smack him. BUT I am totally on Team Jack. I don't even know why everyone is thinking of Cole as a part of a love triangle. WTF? Am I the only one who doesn't think Nikki and Cole are right for each other? They didn't have any chemistry at all. Nothing. Nada. I didn't like Cole at all. Too creepy. Too stalkerish.

This book went back and forth with the NOW, and the back THEN. I thought this was perfect, and a way to give, tell and show information without overwhelming the reader with so much info. Brodi Ashton's writing was flawless. I am a big fan of her now :) I thought the whole timing was great and I loved how we only get bits and pieces about Jack and Nikki's relationship before the Feed. 

The ending. GOSH. My mouth was literally hanging. I could not believe it. It was so sweet and so perfect and oh my days I don't know how I'm going to live until the sequel(!) comes out next door. Boohoo. There is a bit of a cliffhanger, as expected as this is a trilogy. 

Overall, EVERNEATH is a book you can NOT miss. It's a book about love, a book about hate, a book about family, a book about creepy shadowy things, but most of all, it's a book about redemption and if there is even such a thing. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

I DO Judge a Book By their Cover (3)

   ' I DO judge a book by their cover' is a weekly meme started by me! 
Every Friday, I would be featuring one upcoming book (2012//2013) and write my opinion on its cover. Aside from blabbing about how much I love/loathe a cover, it's  good for me since apart from wanting to be a lot of things when I'm older, one of my dream is to become a graphic designer. So, yeah.

                                                                                                      COVER THOUGHTS :::                                                             I am in love with the heart-shaped thingy over there. I didn't actually notice it before (I'm so freaking stupid!) but now it's breaking my heart (bad pun intended).                                                                                                                                                  I adore the pink tones and the blue font. It's undeniable this cover is screams simplicity but that's what makes this cover different from the others. I CANNOT tell you how glad I am to see that this is not one of those girls in those pretty dresses.                                                               

I would rate this: 

A BOOK COVER THAT BREAKS MY HEART.

Review: The Alchemy of Forever - Avery Williams

Title: The Alchemy of Forever (Incarnation #1)

Author: Avery Williams

Release Date: March 1st 2012 (UK)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK

After spending six hundred years on Earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world's riches but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago, her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to take the bodies of other humans from jumping from one vessel to the next, ending the human's life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she's done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again.

Then sixteen-year old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body while trying to save her. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she's inhabiting--and falling in love with the boy who lives next door. But Cyrus will stop at nothing until she's his again, and every moment she stays, she's putting herself and the people she's grown to care about in danger. Will Sera have to give up the one thing that's eluded her for centuries: true love?

If there was one word I would describe this book, it would be - short. Yes. I know that's not the best description, but yeah. SHORT. As in, short in character development, short in novel length (seriously, I think I'm the only one who thought this book was just a half of a book), short in romance, short in action and yes, you get the idea, right?

I heard that this was a very surprising read in a good way, but I came out very disappointed. 
The first few chapters were full of promise, but unfortunately the rest just kind of sucked. Which I hate because I really wanted to like this book, I was preparing to put in on my favourite shelf. But no.

Sera was okay, I guess. (Oh God, what is this book making me do? It's making me not think properly and instead words like 'okay', 'good' or 'bad' is coming out of my mind). I never really felt like I knew a lot about her, and I thought that since she lived for over 600 years I would have thought that she would at least be very three-dimensional and an interesting character. But alas. 

The lack of romance.Oh wait. I mean the lack of hotstuff. Oh geez. You know how I love my books steamy with romance and hot guys. But this. THIS. I seriously can't even remember his name without looking at my book to check. Noah was just an alright (see, again?) character, he was nice but.. BLEH. You know you've done something wrong when the guy I've fallen for is the protagonist's brother. Oops. I love Brian (SEE? I remembered his name!) .

To be honest, the only thing that was keeping me read it was the antagonist. Boy was he evil. Cyrus was just so unpredictable and so bad that you can't help but want to know what he's thinking.

And can you believe it. A damn cliffhanger. Because it's a freaking trilogy. But I will keep reading, just because I NEED to know what happens next. So at least the author did something right.

I know this is a very short review (ah see? short,again?) but seriously don't know what else to say about this book. Meh.

Waiting On Wednesday (4)

The Space Between Us
by Jessica Martinez

Release Date: October 16th 2012

 From the author of Virtuosity, a novel about two sisters and the secrets they tell, the secrets they keep, and the secret that tears them apart.

Amelia is used to being upstaged by her charismatic younger sister, Charly. She doesn’t mind, mostly, that it always falls to her to cover for Charly’s crazy, impulsive antics. But one night, Charly's thoughtlessness goes way too far, and she lands them both in serious trouble.

Amelia's not sure she can forgive Charly this time, and not sure she wants to…but the situation is even worse than either of them realizes. Amelia has no choice but to give up everything--her friends, her future, her dream--in order to cover for Charly’s huge mistake.

Amelia doesn't understand how her sister could have done this to them both. What she doesn't know is that Charly is hiding a terrible secret—one with the potential to change everything.

I actually haven't read Virtuosity (the debut book by this author) because I didn't really like the sound of that, but THE SPACE BETWEEN US sounds so much better! I like books with sisters (probably because I haven't got one so I'm always interested about the sister dynamic and such).

COVER THOUGHTS:  I like their poses, but not really a pink cover fan.

Review: The Assassin & The Pirate Lord - Sarah J. Maas

Title: The Assassin & the Pirate Lord (Throne of Glass #0.1)

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: January 21st 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury

A Throne of Glass novella.

On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She's been sent by the Assassin's Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. 

But when Celaena learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes - and she will risk everything to right the wrong she's been sent to bring about. 

I never got the chance to read Throne of Glass (formerly known as Queen of Glass back then) on Fictionpress when Sarah put it online on 2002 (when she was only 16 - 10 years ago!) but then she removed it from the site on 2008 to begin querying her book/series after getting more than 7,000 reviews and earned her masses of fans worldwide. Sigh. How I wish I read it since everyone keeps going on about how amazing and different it is! Anyway, the 'actual' novel will come out 7th August this year(!) but Bloomsbury is releasing four novellas. This is the first one of the quartet. Now I can't wait for the second one (The Assassin & the Desert) 

This short, fastpaced story opens with us being introduced to Celeana Sardothien, the protagonist, and even in the first few pages, you can clearly see why this seriously got everyone buzzing about it! It went straight to action, there was never a dull moment.

Celeana Sardothein is now officially one of my favourite protagonist. EVER. Even though this novella was short, I felt like I knew a lot about her, yet her decisions kept surprising me (in a good way of course!). She was feisty, knew she was the best assassin in the world, and guess what guys, she knew she was BEAUTIFUL. Yes. Beautiful. Oh my god. You don't know how tired I am about reading about lead female characters that moan and moan about how ugly they look even though they're beautiful, hot or pretty. OH GOD. What is up with that? But Celeana knew she was beautiful and she flaunted it! That's one of the reasons why I love her!
She clearly has a lot of confidence, cocky, demanding but she was also selfless, caring and acts like a real girl (she loves and adores clothes! Yay!) 

There wasn't a lot of romance in this one (probably why I didn't give it an A+) but I did very much enjoy the bantering with Sam, one of the other assassins. I really like him! I did read the summary for Throne of Glass, but he wasn't mentioned at all! So, I was wondering if he's going to appear?

I know this doesn't have anything to do with the story whatsover, but I have to admit that I AM SO JEALOUS of Sarah J. Maas! Not only is she incredibly pretty but she can write pretty damn good! Her writing is just so amazing! I'd be happy to have even a tiny bit of her talent!

This is one of the best high fantasy novels I've ever read in my entire life (and did you know that THRONE OF GLASS started out as a Cinderella re-telling? So instead of Cinderella coming to the ball to fall in love with the prince, she is sent to kill him since she's an assassin and all!- you know that's like one of the best and original plot line ever!) 

I really don't know how I'm going to survive until August 7th, so thank God Sarah and Bloomsbury will be releasing a novella every 1.5- 2 months  leading up to the release of the first full length novel (which begins 2 years after the novellas, I think) THRONE OF GLASS.

Teaser Tuesday (4)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Miss B at Should Be Reading

Graffiti Moon  by Cath Crowley

Release Date: February 14th 2012

  " Strange things are sometimes the most beautiful," he said.

I loved this book. Look out for my review on the blog on the release day 14th Feb!

Review: Incarnate - Jodi Meadows

Title: Incarnate (Newsoul #1)

Author: Jodi Meadows

Release Date: January 31st 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

This is one of those books that you have trouble rating. When you don't know whether to give it the highest possible grade or the lowest. (Oh God I hate it when I have these type of problems.) But anyway, one thing is for sure. INCARNATE was one of the best high fantasy story I have ever read in a long time. (Please don't call it dystopian, peeps. It's more like a science-fiction/fantasy/utopian :D )

The plot was very interesting and I found myself turning the pages so fast to find out why Ana was born, why Ciana never got reincarnated, why people did get reincarnated, what was inside the temple, why the city of Heart has got a heartbeat, why dragons and sylphs attack the city and SO MANY QUESTIONS OMG. I was a bit skeptical when I was reading, I was worried that since this is a trilogy, Jodi Meadows wouldn't give us answers and I HATE it when at the end of the book I have more questions than answers (just NO!). But fortunately, this wasn't the case at all.

Ana. Oh God. I don't know if I hate her or love her, so I would settle in the middle. She was impulsive, cynical, and I hated how she always felt sorry for herself (I understand to why she feels like that, but not when she mentions it in every freaking chapter. Yes, I get it.) yet at the same time, even though she experiences very bad prejudice and discrimination by the others just because she is a 'nosoul' or a 'newsoul', she still remained herself. While I would go mental, and probably kill everyone.

The romance in this book was very engaging and the love interest was indeed, swoon-worthy. I loved the pace of the romance; it slow and I love that they started off as friends. Sam, was probably my favourite character. He was just so caring, sweet, musical(!) and he doesn't care whether Ana is a 'newsoul'. He just treats her the same way he treats everyone. Adore him. 

Music played such a big part in this book, with it being Ana's and Sam's talent and passion. I never actually liked music in a book, but the way Jodi wrote the music scenes, it was simply beautiful. And I love that Sam wrote Ana her own song: Ana Incarnate (So jealous of Ana!).

I applaud Jodi Meadow's world-building and writing style. It was FABULOUS! Her descriptions and prose just comes to life. This story has got a very magical and fairy tale-like feel to it, and I mean that in the BEST WAY POSSIBLE. This actually reminds me of Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone (which was one of my Top Ten 2011 Reads), and not just because of it's gorgeous writing, but because of the whole mystery about her real identity, the story-telling and the epic world-building. She did an amazing job with creating the background of the city Heart. I can actually very vividly imagine in my head, and that's very rare for me. I love that even though I want to experience living in Heart, I would also be scared shitless (Um hello scary walls with its own heartbeat? Yikes).

There was a lot of scenes that I love. The masquerade scene, anyone? :) And anyone who knows me knows that I am a tiny bit obsessed with Masquerade masks, and that I love it when it is featured in books. This also contains the best kissing scene EVER. Gosh, I'm still fanning myself right now!

I never guessed the ending. It was perfect, in terms that we actually finds out what actually happened on the night Ciana died, and why Ana was born. This was one of those books that would be perfectly alright as a stand-alone, not because it can't develop into something more (I'm sure it can) but because this book had a beginning, middle and an ending.  

This is such a highly imaginative and compelling book that I would recommend to those who love high fantasy, dystopians/utopians, science-fiction, mystery and romance (so. well, basically EVERYONE).  

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It’s a super fun meme where we gush about the books we got during the week.

BOUGHT                                        ::: 00  :::

Didn't buy anything this week since I'm on a Book Buying Ban :( 
But next week, things will be back to normal!

BORROWED                                   ::: 01  :::

1. Incarnate (Newsoul #1) - Jodi Meadows (borrowed a friend's ARC)

FOR REVIEW (NETGALLEY)           ::: 02  :::

1. Croak (Croak #1) - Gina Damico
2. Revealing Eden (Save the Pearls #1) - Victoria Foyt


(Thank you, Netgalley!)

I DO Judge a Book By their Cover (2)

   ' I DO judge a book by their cover' is a weekly meme started by me! 
Every Friday, I would be featuring one upcoming book (2012//2013) and write my opinion on its cover. Aside from blabbing about how much I love/loathe a cover, it's  good for me since apart from wanting to be a lot of things when I'm older, one of my dream is to become a graphic designer. So, yeah.

  

COVER THOUGHTS ::: Normally, I avoid science-fiction-fantasy-whatever books like the plague, but this might be the exception. And you should all thank this cover. THIS cover is just beautiful. 

I love everything about it, except for the girl's face. At first, I thought it was a cartoon(?) and I still can't figure it out. Oh well. I'm in love with the dress and the model's pose.  Also, the font and the placing of the title is very striking without overshadowing the image. 

Well done, cover people.

I would rate this: 

A BOOK COVER THAT PROVES SCI-FI IS COOL.

Review: The Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson

Title: The Name of the Star

Author: Maureen Johnson

Release Date: September 29th 2011

Publisher:Harper Collins

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

This is actually the first book I’ve read that’s by Maureen Johnson, so I didn’t know what to expect. Normally, I would shy from these types of things; I mean come on it IS Jack the Ripper. Are you kidding me? I’m not a big fan of horror movies, or horror books ,for that matter. A few weeks ago before reading the book, I (foolishly) thought that this was a historical paranormal. So imagine my surprise when I started reading and found out that this was set in present day, not in the 1880’s with the ‘actual’ Jack the Ripper.

The plot was very multi-layered and clever; it’s obvious that the author had put so much thought into this. I read in an interview that she intended the beginning to be heavy on the school boarding stuff, and I agree. At the start, I didn’t feel like I’m reading a paranormal story. It felt more like a contemporary. Which isn’t a bad thing. It wasn’t boring; it was unlike others I had read before.

What was up with the title? I asked myself. I actually thought of it literally. But you’ll find out in the book why it’s called that and YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT THAT IS THE MOST FITTING AND BEAUTIFUL NAME FOR THIS BOOK. I love it whereas I hated it before.

You can see Maureen did her research. Damn, those historical facts were very interesting AND accurate. Despite living near London (well, quite) I had only been a few times (guys, I AM only fifteen) so I found her descriptions of locations very detailed. Oh, and I want to go to her boarding school now! Next year I would be doing my A-Levels as well (the same as Rory’s) and now I wish that the school was real ha! I also love the English references! , and how Rory compares them to the US.

Maureen’s writing is just lovely and fabulous. I admire her use of switching between third person and first person, formal and informal. The main character Rory’s personality shone through. Her humor is fresh and witty. I loved her. She’s just the kind of person you aspire to be. She’s not a wimp. But she’s not brave either, which showed that she’s human; she gets scared. She’s loyal, relatable, trustworthy and just a genuinely nice person.

Have I mentioned how FUNNY this book is? I never knew books with Jack the Ripper could be so amusing. But this one is. There were a lot of times that I was laughing out loud hysterically my dad was giving me strange looks. The writer managed to balance the creepiness and entertainment just right.

One thing that I wasn’t particularly ok with was the romance. There’s a guy, then another one appeared, and THEN another one. It was not until near the end of the book that things were cleared up, and I crossed one guy off from the list. She’s on and off with unnamed guy, but I have a feeling the other guy (that I prefer) would be more prominent in the second book.

I know this is going to be a trilogy, but honestly I’m more than fine if it’s just a stand-alone. I think it’s one of those books that don’t leave you hanging; the story has a beginning, middle and the end. Overall, The Name of The Star is one book that you cannot miss. You’ll have to read it. Or Jack the Ripper might go to you next.

Waiting On Wednesday (3)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

When The Sea Is Rising Red
by Cat Hellisen

Release Date: February 28th 2012

After seventeen-year-old Felicita’s dearest friend Ilven kills herself to escape an arranged marriage, Felicita chooses freedom over privilege. She fakes her own death and leaves her sheltered life as one of Pelimburg’s magical elite behind.

 

Living in the slums, scrubbing dishes for a living, she falls for charismatic Dash while also becoming fascinated with vampire Jannik. 

 

Then something shocking washes up on the beach: Ilven's death has called out of the sea a dangerous wild magic. 

 

Felicita must decide whether her loyalties lie with the family she abandoned . . . or with those who would twist this dark power to destroy Pelimburg's caste system, and the whole city along with it. 

I'm really anxiously waiting this - so different to anything that I've read or heard about. Also, from looking at this summary (from Goodreads) I'm unable to figure out what genre it falls under - pararnormal? historical? fantasy?

COVER THOUGHTS:  It didn't catch my attention at all but at the same time it's very intriguing.

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Miss B at Should Be Reading

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: December 6th  2011

His hands were moving down, under my shirt, his fingers skimming over my skin, sending a rush of blood to every part of my body. And my hands went down. His stomach was hard, dipped and rippled in all the right places. 

 And then my shirt joined his on the floor.

*Fans self*. Guys, how HAWT was that?!?! I tell you, you all need to read Obsidian right now! It was one of my TOP 10 of 2011 last year! :D

Review: Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Release Date: August 31st 2010

Publisher:Walker Books (UK)

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

 The plot was definitely something that surpassed the whole Mortal Instruments series, I remember when I was reading City of Bones and I was never that involved in the plot. To be fair, some minor parts of the book was merely predictable, but it never took out the excitement and enjoyment of the actual reading. 

Never did I expect that I would love this cast of characters. Tessa, Will, Jem, Charlotte and Henry, Jessamine and Sophie, Thomas and Agatha. Gosh, I don't know why but I love this cast better than TMI series. Cassie Clare's writing was lush and gorgeous, with sharp and witty dialogue (that we all know her for) but never stepping that fine line between humor and tacky comedy.

This has got to be the most well done love triangle EVER. I can't even pick sides and teams, both guys bring out the best and worst in Tessa, and I really don't know who I want her to end up with in the end (I do know,however, the ending to CP since I've read a spoiler review of that by accident). Jem is probably the most sweetest gentleman on the planet and Will. Oh Will, how I longed to hug him. Will; sarcastic, troubled and sad. Yep, just my kinda guy.

I didn't expect to like Tessa as much as I did. I love that she was very calm (most of the time), classy, intelligent and level-headed. There was never a time when I wanted to bitch-slap her (like I do with most of YA heroines) and I think she deserves the YA heroine title much more than Clary (who annoyed me to no ends, who's disobedient and careless). 

The pace was steady; never slow, never fast, which I didn't mind. Though, I admit on one or two occasions where there was too much telling (and not enough showing) and backstory - which I completely understand, for it helps readers to understand this world if they haven't read TMI. But sometimes this world is just too complex, too much. It's too smart for my brain. Oops. 

I do believe that you don't have to read any of the Mortal Instruments (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels) to read this series. Each first book has enough information so you won't get lost. But reading and knowing about both just adds that tiny bit of wow-I-know-what-they're-talking-about kinda thing.

I do own a copy of Clockwork Prince so I can't wait to dive into that, but first - five more books before that reading CP.

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It’s a super fun meme where we gush about the books we got during the week.

BOUGHT                                        ::: 02  :::

1. Bloodrose - Andrea Cremer (US hardcover) 

2. Frostbite - Richelle Mead (US paperback)

FOR REVIEW (NETGALLEY)           ::: 05  :::

1.  Halflings (Halflings #1) -  Heather Burch (February 1st 2012)
2. Graffiti Moon - Cat Crowley (February 14th 2012)
3. Welcome, Caller, this is Chloe - Shelley Coriell (May 1st 2012)
4. The Peculiars - Maureen Doyle McQuerry (May 1st 2012) 
5. Don't You Wish - Roxanne St. Claire (July 10th 2012)

Review: Blood Red Road - Moira Young

Title: Blood Red Road (Dustlands #1)

Author: Moira Young

Release Date: June 2nd 2011

Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books

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.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

I kept putting this book on hold, and went through ten or more books before reading this one (since I got it during Christmas) and that is because of the language. I kept repeating to myself "How the hell do they expect me to read this?!?" It’s written in Saba’s point-of-view and dialect. Which means there’s no speech marks (which confused the hell outta me when I began reading it) and most of the spelling was incorrect (which bugged me 'cause I’m the spelling master) but I can tell you guys, stick around for 20 pages and you get used to it. I was reading it non-stop and it never bothered me again. It felt oddly natural and the flow and pace was excellent. Saba’s voice was direct and concise. Which I love - she gets to the point, not one of those narrator's prose that goes on and on and most of the time can be said in just one simple short sentence.

I shamelessly admit, the first quarter was pretty slllooowwww and boring and I thought I was going to give up. I'm pretty sure you're going to do the same. But don't. Because the more you hate this book at the beginning, the more you'll love it at the end.

I cared deeply and love each and every character Saba met along the way. You know that saying 'Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination. (Don Williams, Jr.)". <- That sums up Blood Red Road perfectly. The obstacles and twist and turns of Saba's journey made this book. Not the destination. Not her goal. Not really about finding her brother, even if that's the primary reason why she was there in the first place. But Emmi, Jack, the Free Hawks, Ike and Tommo all gained a special place in my heart. This dystopian book is a must read for any lover of YA literature. 

When they get to Hopetown, that’s where the real action and amazing-ness of this book commence. The pace was fast, heart-pounding and the action scenes were executed extremely well. Also, the romance. GUYS. You know how much I'm a sucker for romance. And this book was pretty HAWT. Jack was arrogant, cocky, charming and everything else that I love. He's a perfect match for Saba, he brings her down when she gets too 'pig-headed' and 'rude'. I adore how he knows what to say to Saba that makes her re-think herself and her actions. He doesn't back down. Jack is defo one of my top fictional book boyfriends.
 
There was two scenes that broke my heart at the end, and nearly moved me to tears. That is proof that I became emotionally attached to these characters even though I didn’t know them for long. The character developments was spectacular.
 
Oh, just one simple note: I love the UK cover (pictured) that I own much more than the US hardcover. I love that this cover is very symbolic (and doesn’t have people or people parts in it – I am soo tired of them). I love the white and red and black simple coordination and it stands out from my other hundred books in my bookshelves.

I wish I’ve read this book sooner (last year, when it came out) because this would have definitely been in my Top 10 of 2011. It reminded me of Eve (by Anna Carey) a another dystopian but this, THIS is 1000000x better. Seriously.

I’m so anxiously awaiting until the sequel REBEL HEART comes out this year(!). I guess it’s a good thing then that I’ve read it this year so I don’t have to wait much till the next instalment. This is fast becoming one of my favourite series. I just hope the second one doesn’t fall into the ‘second book curse’ – like a lot of them do.
 
Also, just heard that the author Moira Young lives in the UK (eep!!) so I maybe be able to meet her if she does a signing near London or Surrey. I hope so.