BOOK BLURB: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)

CINDER (The Lunar Chronicles #1)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Number of Pages: 390

Date Published: January 3, 2012

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction / Retelling

Goodreads:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My Thoughts:

BOOK BLURB: Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1)

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

***

Date Read: August 29, 2012

Whew! Finally! After 21 days of struggling to finish the book, I'm finally done with Beautiful Creatures. Now don't get me wrong. It took me 3 weeks to finish not because it wasn't good or anything like that. I was just really busy and Beautiful Creatures wasn't the kind of book that gets you all distracted from your work. It didn't meet my expectations, thus, leaving me a bit disappointed.

To be honest, I felt detached from the story and the characters while reading this. I just couldn't make sense of it at first. I felt like the book/story was supposed to be dark and mysterious, but it wasn't as dark and mysterious as I hoped it would be. I didn't even feel the spark between Ethan and Lena's relationship. It's like they didn't have enough chemistry together. Their relationship was a bit hurried, I think. It was like Ethan saying, "I want something different. The new girl is different. Now, I want her to be my girlfriend."

I didn't like Ethan that much. And Lena, too. I didn't like Gatlin. (Ugh! All the thoughts that are coming out are negative thoughts. Sorry!)

Sorry if my thoughts about the book turned out like that. There had been a lot of great reviews for this book and I guess I got carried away. I raised my expectations high and look where it got me.

I actually debated whether to give this book a two or three rating. I settled with three because there were still some parts that got me entertained.

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teepee J

BOOK BLURB: The Selection (The Selection #1)

The Selection by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

***

Date Read: August 25, 2012

The Selection had to be one of my fastest YA reads to date. And I really tried not to get the criticisms about the book get in my head and cloud my judgements. I don't know if I successfully did it, but here goes nothing.

As most of us know, there had been an issue about the book/author. I don't remember much, but I set that aside when I read this. Thankfully, The Selection wasn't bad. I actually liked it. No, I did not squirm in delight when there were romantic moments. But it was enough to grab my interest and keep me reading.

America didn't annoy me like what other readers/reviewers experienced. What bothers me, really, is the fact that it was so obvious she was different from all the other girls. It was like being rubbed on your face that she stood out, that she's special. And to top it off, she's completely oblivious to this. Hahahaha...

I know it doesn't really make sense comparing this to the Hunger Games, but there were parts that America's situation reminded me of Katniss - the makeover, the new environment they are temporary living in, her liking for the delicacies, the interviews, the televised programs. It was like the Hunger Games all over again. Hahahaha... Well, not really. Just those parts. It felt a bit unoriginal.

Now, let's go to our boys, the ex-boyfriend, Aspen, and the crowned prince, Maxon (By the way, how do pronounce Maxon's name? Is it like Mey-son or Max-son?). Oh no! Who is she going to pick? Her ex-boyfriend who she still loves or the prince who she's starting to develop feelings for? (Please note the hint of sarcasm. Hahahaha!) As usual, I always choose who I'm rooting for. And I'm going for Aspen all the way. Why? Because I always go for the guys with dark hair. (Hahahaha... That's a stupid answer.)

In a more serious note, I didn't like the part when she was like cheating on both of them. It felt like America kissed one of them because she can't have the other at the moment, or because she's mad. And vice versa. But, whatever. I'm still rooting for Aspen, even though the book didn't quite picture him enough and was mostly about Maxon's niceness.

You can't have a story without the people wanting to bring down the main character. And here, we have the typical b*tchy elite girl who's used to get everything she wants. Somehow, I didn't feel much of her presence as the villain among the girls. Mainly because America's almost always preoccupied with her own issues to pay attention to her. Yes, she had her mean and devilish moments, but I guess I was expecting more from her, like I want her to really be despicable. (wow! How weird is that?)

So there!! I think that's all I can type write now. I tried and finished. Yay me! Hahahaha... 3.5 stars for The Selection. Since I'm feeling incredibly nice today, I'm going to click the 4th star instead of the 3rd. And I have to hand it to the book. It had me gripped on to it the whole day. :)

Oh! One more thing... I really loved how the importance of family was shown in some parts of the book. That families, no matter what, stick together and accept each other for whatever each do. *sighs* There! Bye! :)

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teepee J

BOOK BLURB: Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1)

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

***

Date Read: August 6, 2012

Pushing the Limits wasn't what I expected it to be. I thought I wouldn't like it that much, but oh boy!! Was I mistaken. I didn't see that coming.

The story revolves around the lives of Noah and Echo (strange name but you'll get used to it and eventually, you'll start to like it), told in alternating point of views. Both of them have messed up family and social lives. Both of them experienced loss and grief. Both of them never expected fate to bring them together in one of their roughest times. That even though they are somehow worlds apart, they managed to reach out to one another and touch each other's lives.

My blurb!!! I really don't  know what to say. The book kept me reading 'til after midnight (that's one good sign) and I really did like it. I love the Romeo/Juliet thing going on. I love the characters as well especially Noah. Hahahahaha.. (yeah!! bad boy but really nice and sweet inside... my favorite)

So, all in all, 4 starssssss :) Thanks Ms. McGarry.

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teepee J

BOOK BLURB: Among the Nameless Stars (For Darkness Shows the Stars #0.5)

Among the Nameless Stars by Diana Peterfreund
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Before Kai joined the Cloud Fleet, he wandered… AMONG THE NAMELESS STARS

Four years before the events of FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS, the servant Kai left the North Estate, the only home he’d ever known, and Elliot North, the only girl he ever loved, in search of a better life. But the journey was not an easy one.

Featuring narrow escapes, thrilling boat races and at least one deadly volcanic wasteland.

***

Date Read: July 30, 2012

Among the Nameless Stars is said to be the "prequel" to For Darkness Shows the Stars. I, personally, wouldn't call it a prequel because it didn't really happen before everything else in the book. Maybe just a filler story. (hahahaha.. stupid ideas interrupting my train of thought.)

Anyway, as I've expected, I love this story because:

(1) Kai still writes letters or thinks of writing letters to Elliot, even though he keeps telling himself not to. I always love people sending letters (or just writing) to each other. For me, it's one of the sincerest ways a person can express how he or she feels. Kai and Elliot's letters really reaches out to the readers and captures them until they can't get enough it. This story is no different. Although Kai held a grudge against Elliot, he always made it clear in his unsent letters that he still cares for her. It's hard to explain, but there's something about guys who writes beautiful letters.

(2) We get a taste of Kai's life after he left the North Estate. How he struggled and fought to survive. How he met Andromeda and Donovan and the Innovations. It wasn't a good experience but it wasn't the worst as compared to what other Posts experienced. He had a lot of bad times but he stayed strong. He realized how lucky he was but still he wanted more, and he strived hard to get what he wanted. I just didn't like the part when he wanted to succeed because he wanted Elliot to regret her decision of not coming with him. But later on, that wasn't the case anymore.

My rating may be a little biased because I've read this after reading For Darkness Shows the Stars. My judgement may be a bit clouded by how I felt for FDSTS, so I might not point out other things that got me concerned in this story. But who cares? Hahahaha..

Oh wait! I think I forgot something. I would have liked it better if it also revealed their journey as the Cloud Fleet up until the time he becomes Captain Malakai Wentforth. That's all. :)

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teepee J

BOOK BLURB: For Darkness Shows the Stars (For Darkness Shows the Stars #1)

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth--an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret--one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen's persuasion, "For Darkness Shows the Stars" is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

***

Date Read: July 29, 2012

I do not know if I'm going to feel sad or happy that I haven't read Persuasion by Jane Austen yet. All I know, as of the moment, is that I extremely love this dystopian book inspired by an Austen classic. My thoughts and feelings shall be poured out after our exam later.

** frustrating exam over, UPDATE **


For me, there are three major types of reading experiences. First, you start to read the book and at some point, you just lose the enthusiasm to finish it. Second, you start to read a book and you like it enough to finish it. And the third, from the moment you started reading the book, you wouldn't want to let go of it. The third one is my favorite, and that's how I felt reading For Darkness Shows the Stars.

For Darkness Shows the Stars is a dystopian story inspired by a classic book by Jane Austen. After reading the book, I don't know if I should feel sorry for myself that I haven't read Jane Austen's Persuasion yet. Or if I should feel glad that I could marvel Diana Peterfreund's work by the book itself and not as a comparison to the Austen classic. Maybe I should feel both, or maybe neither. *shrugs* But what matters, really, is the fact that I sacrificed my "study time" just so I could read this and it was worth it (maybe not, if I failed the exam. Hahahaha.) My expectations were set high and not a moment was a disappointment.

One of the things I really liked about the book was the "years ago" chapters which showed Elliot and Kai's exchange of letters. In those letters, you saw how they grew up, how they matured and how their relationship bloomed. You really saw the change in them through their letters. From the petty child talk they exchanged, it became a more serious and secretive conversation that only the two of them shared.

Another thing I loved about the book was its realism and how it really held my emotions within its pages. It's amazing how the book can send your stomach in overdrive with only words. Not only that, the characters have the ability to make you really like them. They weren't perfect, physically, mentally or emotionally. They were made real.

I love a lot of things in this book, but I don't know how to put them in words that would do justice to what I feel. Maybe I'll just end it there. Whether I've read Persuasion or not, I'm sure I'd still love this book. It got me hooked from the moment I started reading it and still got me thinking about it days later. Book hangover, some people may call it. But it is, without a doubt, reading experience number three.

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teepee J

GIVEAWAY: Holiday Book Giveaway by Lindsay Cummings

This is basically a copy of Lindsay Cummings blog post about her  holiday giveaway :)

REQUIEM releases March 5, 2013 from HarperCollins
UNRAVEL ME Releases Feb 5, 2013 from HarperCollins
SHARDS AND ASHES releases Feb 19, 2013 from HarperCollins
These are all books from my publisher, Harper. These books totally influenced my writing of THE MURDER COMPLEX, and so, to give back, I'm spreading the word before their 2013 releases!! :) 

GIVEAWAY

I have ONE advanced reader copy of REQUIEM and UNRAVEL ME , an ARC of SHARDS&ASHES up for grabs, and because yall hit 5k entries, I have a SIGNED COPY OF DIVERGENT. Get it super early! Trust me...these books both rock so much!! :)

To enter, fill in the Rafflecopter form below! 3 winners, 1 book each! 
good luck you guys! There's lots of opportunities to gain extra entries, and if you tweet every day, you get even more! :)

Here's the LINK :)

teepee J

GIVEAWAY: 2013 Releases International Giveaway (3 Winners!)

The year is almost over and 2013 is just around the corner. In a few days, one year will come to a close and another will begin. So.. what do I want for 2013...?? MORE BOOKS!!!

There's a giveaway happening at BOOKISH where there will be 3 winners who'll get a chance to pick a book of their choice from any of the 2013 releases. How awesome is that? So head on to BOOKISH to enter :)

*edit*

oooh!!! There's another giveaway going on on her blog. The winner will get a box of books, 10 picks!!! :)) here's the link :

If It Fits It Ships [10 books of choice GIVEAWAY]