Virtue by Amanda Hocking - Review

I was having one of those weekends where I was super busy and didn't want to get into a long book I wouldn't be able to sit and enjoy for a long period of time. So, I bought Virtue by Amanda Hocking to read. I had heard it was a quick little read that was very enjoyable and as I've said before, (and maybe even gotten a little preachy on the subject) I love Amanda Hocking's work.  

This book follows the story of Lux and Lily. Lux must steal Lily from her castle home for his master, even though he has no idea why. He goes to a ball where she will be and lures her out of the ballroom and outside with him. After falling for Lily's innocence and loving nature, he lets her escape into the dreaded woods that surrounds their castles land. After this one defining moment, Lily and Lux must decide what is right and the difference between good and evil.

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey - Review

I will start off saying that I really needed this book to “wow” me. Last week, I tried starting Matched by Ally Condie and I could only get through about fifty pages before stopping. I was thoroughly disappointed because of all of the great things I’ve heard about Matched. For some reason, I just wasn’t drawn into the story and I wasn’t a huge fan. That being said, I decided to start Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey with very high hopes…

Dragonswood tells the story of a young girl named Tess who lives on Wilde Island, where there are kings, dragons, knights and even fairies. In a time when the relationship between humans, dragons and the fey are beginning to strain, Tess finds herself in the middle of a power struggle between the three races. When an overzealous witch hunter tries her as a witch, even Tess’s power to see the future can’t help save her or her friends.

Most Anticipated Book Adaptions of 2012

Today, I found a link for some of the movies coming out this year that were adapted from books. I have to say, I’m super excited for The Great Gatsby with Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan! I also can’t wait to see Emma Watson in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I think she’ll do well in a more edgy role and it’ll be nice to see her as someone other than Hermione!

What other book adoptions are you excited for?!  

Tamora Pierce

This is one of the posts that will be added to the "Authors and What to Read" section of the blog!

Tamora Pierce

Hollowland by Amanda Hocking - Review

This was my first zombie book and let me say, I was a bit hesitant to start. I have no idea why, but the blood and gore associated with zombies freaked me out (which is a little strange considering my attraction to vampire stories…). With Hollowland, I once again put my faith in Amanda Hocking and I was not disappointed.

Hollowland follows Remy King on a quest across what is left of the future United States after a zombie disease took hold of much of America’s population. Remy and her unlikely friends including an ex Rock star, a medical student, and lion named Ripley, battle zombies on their way to find Remy’s brother. He's  been moved from their previous quarantine center to a safer location and they must fight through the wasteland that is the U.S. to reach saftey. Everyone knows that Remy’s brother is extremely sick and fragile but no one expects the truth… which you’ll have to read the book to find!

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare - Review

As to be expected, Clockwork Prince was absolutely amazing! It has been a long time since I’ve felt such strong emotions during a book. I fell in love with all of the characters through out a tale that I can only describe as heart wrenching. I felt highs and I felt lows throughout this story that is essentially a battle for the characters to find happiness on the paths that they've chosen.  When I say that there are highs and lows, I’m not kidding around. I cried, I laughed and I may have yelled at a character or two during the course of my reading.

In this installment of The Infernal Devices series, Clare presents a story of the Shadowhunters we met in Clockwork Angel as they dive further into the mystery behind the Magister's automations. The love triangle between Jem, Tessa and Will escalates and if you haven’t decided whether you are team Jem or team Will by now, this book will definitely force a choice on you (in a good way).

Divergent by Veronica Roth - Review

Wow. Honestly, I think that’s the only thing I can say after finishing this book. And even now, after being done, I don’t think I can write a review simply because I am currently on overload. I feel like I've just been running through the streets of future Chicago fighting my way to safety… but here goes!

"The World Of Hunger Games" Cover Revealed!

Scholastic has revealed a new cover for their illustrated guide, "The World of the Hunger Games." It promises pictures of all of the different tributes and explanations of their home districts and a deeper look at Katniss and her home. It looks like it is probably aimed at a younger crowd... but it still makes me so excited for the movie!

http://oomscholasticblog.com/2012/01/the-world-of-the-hunger-games-cover-revealed.html

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter - Review

Unlike many people, I’m a huge fan of the outpouring of fiction based on Greek Mythology after Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson novels. I love the idea of retelling an age old story, but with a modern twist and this book was no exception.

The Goddess Test is about Kate, who has spent the majority of her life caring for her sick mother. Her mother’s last wish is to move home to where she grew up. Of course Kate agrees, but that means moving in the middle of high school to a place where she has no friends. Then, she meets Henry who is handsome, mysterious and tortured. The thing about Henry is that he claims that he is Hades, God of the Underworld. He offers Kate a deal, a deal that if she accepts; he will keep her mother alive… as long as she passes seven tests. Kate is positive that he's crazy... that is until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare - Review

I was a little slow on the uptake of The Mortal Instruments series; they came out before my policy of not taking one person’s negative opinion of a book into account before reading. Thus, City Of Bones sat on my shelf for a long while before I picked it up. Eventually, The Mortal Instruments became one of my favorite series.  Once I began reading Clockwork Angel, I soon fell in love with the characters and their world and I’m eagerly awaiting the next books in both of the series (like most of the YA fiction lovers of the world).

Carrier Of The Mark By Leigh Fallon - Review

After reading a few very positive reviews for this book, I was worried that my high expectations would ruin the book for me. As it turns out, Carrier Of The Mark met and exceeded my expectations and I couldn’t put the book down!

Fallon’s story follows a young American girl who moves to Ireland from the United States. She and her father have been moving around every few years since her mom passed away and she was hoping that this move might keep them in one place long enough for her to finish high school with some friends. Megan starts school and seems to be adjusting well to Irish life… that is until she sees Adam. Her draw to Adam is unlike anything she’s ever felt before and from his acts of clumsiness and constant staring, she believes that he is feeling the same way. Soon, Megan becomes entangled in a new life with a vast history in which she struggles to find her place.

Switched by Amanda Hocking -Review

Amanda Hocking is probably my favorite author of the moment. I’ve read the Trylle Series a few times but I decided that I needed to reread them and put them up on the blog to encourage anyone I could to read them! I’m doing so now because the Trylle series is being published in paperback this spring and so even if you don’t have an ereader, you’ll be able to enjoy these awesome stories.

Switched is the first book in a series of three (Torn and Ascend are the second and third installments of the Trylle books). This story follows Wendy who has never quite fit in with her family. The only one who seems to agree with her is her mother, who happened to try and kill her when she was six. Wendy soon finds out that she is in fact a troll, and not the type of troll you’re thinking of (bright pink hair and a rhinestone bellybutton came to mind). The Trylle are a tribe of trolls that are more or less humans that have abilities and are more in tune with nature. Wendy is thrown into a world where she is expected to act as royalty and forget the family that raised her. Of course there is a sexy male lead, Finn, who struggles with his duty to protect Wendy and his feelings for her. This book ends with a bang and will make you start on book two immediately!