Review: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Author: Jessica Shirvington

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Page Count: 369pages, Hardcover

Date Published: March 6th 2012

Find it on Goodreads: Embrace

Source: Library

Rating:  1.5/5

It starts with a whisper: "It's time for you to know who you are..."

On her 17th birthday, everything will change for Violet Eden. The boy she loves will betray her. Her enemy will save her. She will have to decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice.
Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, EMBRACE is a compelling novel of good and evil, seductive desires and impossible choices. A centuries old war between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity chooses a new fighter. It's a battle Violet doesn't want, but she lives her life by two rules: don't run and don't quit. If angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden.
LINCOLN: He's been Violet's one anchor, her running partner and kickboxing trainer. Only he never told her he's Grigori--part human, part angel--and that he was training her for an ancient battle between Angels and Exiles.
PHOENIX: No one knows where his loyalties lie, yet he's the only one there to pick up the pieces and protect her after Lincoln's lies. In a world of dark and light, he is all shades of gray.
Two sides: Angel or Exile.
Two guys: Lincoln or Phoenix.
The wrong choice could cost not only her life, but her eternity...

 

My Thoughts: And here I thought angel books were getting better... 

I've always had hesitations when it comes to reading books about angels, but lately I've been finding some pretty good ones, even some that I adored. So I decided to give this one a try... I'm going to be blunt: I am SO glad I took this out from the library. If you really loved this book, please do not feel the need to read this review. These are my honest opinions, and honestly, I did not enjoy this book.

This was yet again an insta-luv, boring plot, love-triangle infested, selfish main character book that I skimmed through most of because I just really didn't enjoy it. Usually I'm all over the bad boy love interests. I'm a fifteen year old girl, it's supposed to be in my nature. But this one?

 I really didn't enjoy the characters in this book at all. I found Violet to be quite selfish and childish. There were so many things about that girl that annoyed me to the max. I felt that she overreacted a LOT when she finds out that she's not who she thought she was.. Her reaction towards Lincoln in my opinion was that of a melodramatic 11 year old who is upset because she didn't get what she wanted. I kind of liked Lincoln! But then there was Phoenix. I just didn't like him! He was not the type of guy for me. In my opinion he was moody and kind of possessive. The insta-luv between him and Violet made my stomach turn as well.


Moving back to Violet, I felt that her characterization was a bit unbalanced. Some times she would be really timid, shy and soft spoken. Then suddenly she would morph into this really snarky, rude person that I couldn't stand. Once again, her attitude towards Lincoln in the beginning made me shake my head and I had a really hard time getting through this book. THEN there was Violet's father. His parenting was REALLY inconsistent as well. One minute he was lecturing Lincoln to be careful with Violet, the next he left them at a club together! I just didn't get it... I found that there was a lot of development to this book, but not much action, and thus I was bored most of the way through. I will say that the prose was very beautiful at some points, which made the read a smidge easier. I think this book could have been more enjoyable had I related more to the characters. There were just so many things that I couldn't get over, it was hard to not give up on the book. 

I wish I had enjoyed this book more than I did. I really do. And who knows, maybe I'm just not in the right mood for this type of book at the moment. Perhaps I'll pick it up in two months and love it. But for right now, this wasn't the book for me. 

Happy reading!
~Kristy

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books of 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.This week's topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Books of 2013!

 There are so many great books coming out in the new year, it was hard to say my top ten! Which books can you NOT wait for? Leave me a link in the comments to your TTT! 
By the way, I'm sorry for the lack of posts last week... I've been loaded with homework! Reviews will be up soon... I promise!

Happy Tuesday!
~Kristy 

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors/Books I'm Thankful For

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.Since this Thursday is the American Thanksgiving, the topic is Authors/Books I'm Thankful For. 

J.K. Rowling- Basically I wouldn't be who I am without this author in my life. She has shaped me as a person and I owe her so much gratitude. 

John Green - His words have touched my heart and soul and given me such great insight on life. He reminds me with every book and video that it is okay to be who I want to be as a person.

Kody Keplinger - Kody's books are honest and true and they always make me feel better when I am feeling down.

David Levithan - This author has done more for my soul with just one book than another has done with five. I'm forever grateful for the chance to have read Every Day.

William Shakespeare - He basically paved the way for love of literature in my mind... Where would we be without him?

 The Fault in Our Stars - Well, um, yeah. I mean, it's TFIOS.

 Raising Wild Ginger - This book makes me feel so much happiness and sadness all at the same time. I am so glad I decided to read it.

 It's Kind of a Funny Story - Basically this is one of my favourite books ever and I don't know how I survived before reading it.

 The Perks of Being a Wallflower - This book helps me so much whenever I'm feeling a bit down on myself, or if I'm feeling a little bit excluded.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - If I hadn't picked up this book when I was five, I would not be the person I am today.

That's it for me! Leave me a link in the comments to your TTT and I'll check it out!
Happy reading!
~Kristy
  

Breaking Dawn Pt.2 | My thoughts!

I just got home from seeing the new Twilight film, Breaking Dawn part 2 and it was actually pretty dang great. I've been a fan of the Twilight books since they first came out, and while I know that they are not the best books around, (trust me, I know...) I do enjoy them and the movies. I am also a huge fan of Robert Pattinson. Anyways, THE MOVIE.

This movie was by far the best one out of the five. There were many beautiful close ups on things, to give it that 'vampire effect,' quite a bit of humour and a crap load of action. HOLY CROW. Obviously the book was a bit of a letdown with the whole 'stand-off' kind of thing that happens in the end, and no fight, but there was this crazy twist that happened and there was a FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But yeah, the fight scenes were pretty exciting, made me cry once or twice, (if you've seen it, you'll understand..) and the CGI was really cool. I don't know much about CGI, so if it wasn't actually that great on technical terms, don't quote me. :P All of the new vampires and wolves were really cool and it was great seeing the Cullens interact in a more civilised manner with other vamps. I really loved Benjamin and the Amazons! Plus the new little wolves were, while pretty sad, also adorable. There were quite a few little things missing, but honestly, I'm not complaining, because there was a FIGHT SCENE!!! (I really liked the fight, okay?!) Anyways, I didn't get bored once during the entire film. There were some really cute and adorable scenes, funny ones, sexy ones, exciting ones, you name it. It was a movie that made me feel a LOT and perhaps it's only because this was the final movie of the Twilight Saga and since I've been with the series since the first book came out, I'm sentimental. Maybe it's because it is the last one, and that's why I thought it was so crazy cool. But whatever it was, I really, really enjoyed it and plan on seeing it at least once more in theatres while I still can.

What did you guys think of the movie? Did you enjoy it, hate it, in the middle? Let me know your  thoughts, I'd love to hear your opinions! For now, I'm going to study and try and get my mind off of that fight scene, because God only knows that I'm going to be having some wacky dreams tonight...

Happy reading!
~Kristy

Short Story Saturday (1) | God of Darkness by Aimee Carter

I've decided to start doing reviews on the short stories I read! Short Story Saturday is hosted over at 365 Days of Reading. These won't be every week, but as many as I can!


Author: Aimee Carter

Book/Anthology: The Goddess Legacy

Story: God of Darkness

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him new hope...






 My thoughts: 

I adore this series so much and love Henry! I just think he's the saddest thing ever.. This short story is quite saddening at first as it dives a little deeper into his previous relationships with the girls before Kate, especially Ingrid. It was also so sweet seeing Henry's first interactions with Kate when she was a little girl. So adorable! I loved the small insight into Henry's life and it made me want The Goddess Inheritance so much more now! I can't wait for February!

Review: The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Page Count: 544 pages, Hardcover

Date Published: October 23rd 2012

Find it on Goodreads: The Evolution of Mara Dyer

Source: Purchased

Rating:  5/5

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?


My Thoughts: OH. MY. GOODNESS. This book is without a doubt, phenomenal.

Every good thing I heard about this book was true. The writing was fabulous, the story intriguing, the characters complex. This was not a sequel that suffered from SBS (second book syndrome). It had everything that made The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer amazing and more! 

Michelle Hodkin has some real talent with her words. The way she wrote captivated me entirely. But every time I tried to pick up the book, someone would begin speaking to  me! SO FRUSTRATING! When I finally had a chance to read for a long uninterrupted period of time, I was completely immersed in the story. Mara's head is such an interesting one to be in! The way she thinks and acts and feels are so different from so many protagonists but she's still a teenage girl. I loved that about the book. Although the things Mara was going through were hard to even fathom, she's still a girl who loves her family, wants to  be with her boyfriend, and has conflicts with other teenagers. And then there's Noah. Oh, Noah. Why, oh why do you not exist in real life? I adored Noah in the first book and he just got better in this one. He's sweet but snarky, smart and sexy. He is Noah Shaw. I don't know how I can not love him. 

Moreover, the story in this book was just incredible. Fantastic is more the word. It was creepier than the last, which, if you've read the first book you'll know, is hard to imagine. The way Hodkin writes enthralls me. I become completely immersed in the story and cannot get it out of my head.There is nothing better than a great thriller with an amazing romance in my eyes. It had my heart racing for more than just one reason. There were some parts that really freaked me out and others that had my heart melting on the spot. The scenarios the characters are put through are sometimes just crazy! There was some foreshadowing in the beginning of the book of what was coming, but I didn't focus on that stuff as much as I did with what was happening while I read. Usually I can't help but analyze a book completely, but this time something made me stop and just read until the end. And it was so worth it. Even the things that I suspected would happen surprised me. And then the ending almost killed me. I almost screamed at the thought of waiting another year until the final novel is released. It's going to be such a long wait... 

If you have not read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, YOU NEED TO! I'd recommend it to anyone who likes some shivers up their spine or anyone who likes a great romance. And if you're like me and enjoy a story with both,bonus! This series is so so amazing. I'm completely in love with the main characters and their story and I cannot wait for more!

Happy reading!
~Kristy

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'd Want on a Deserted Island

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.This week is Books I'd want with me on a deserted island! Wow is this a tough one!

 I CAN'T STAND NOT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi - I NEED to know what happens in this book! 

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - To think that I would have to live the rest of my life not knowing how this story ends pains me. PHYSICALLY PAINS ME.

Requiem by Lauren Oliver - ALEX, BABY!!!!! I can't stand the thought of not reading this book.

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead - Adrian, Sydney, Dimitri... I need them in my life, okay?!

FOR THE DAYS I'M FEELING ESPECIALLY LONELY:

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Well...There's got to be a volume out there that has every single book in the series in it, right?

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green - This book makes me happier than you can ever imagine.

WHEN I NEED A GOOD CRY:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Um... DUH! Who wouldn't want this book with them... It's beautiful..

Everyday by David Levithan - I could read this story ten billion times and not get tired of it... Ok, maybe a little...

AND TWO THAT I CAN'T THINK OF A CATEGORY FOR:

 The Duff by Kody Keplinger - For a laugh and a giggle, this is a book I can read over and over again.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - This book will keep me occupied for hours and hours on end!


This is a tough topic this week! Leave me a link in the comments to your TTT, I'd love to see which books you couldn't live without!

Happy reading!
 ~Kristy
  

 
    

Stacking the Shelves (20)

Stacking the Shelves is a book haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews -This is a great way for us to share what books we added to our shelves each week!

I got one book this week and I'm super excited about it! It is....

MARA DYER IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOAH <33333333333333

That is all.

What did you guys get this week in books? Leave me a link to your haul and I'll check it out!
Happy reading!
~Kristy

Random Friday Post: New Ed Sheeran Music Video!

Hey guys! So it's Friday and I'm just starting a book today, so I thought that sans a review I would just post something AWESOME that was released this week...The GIVE ME LOVE music video!!!! If you didn't know, I adore Ed Sheeran...He's up there with my books. So, yeah! Enjoy!

Alright,  that's all I had to say today!
I'll talk to y'all tomorrow!
~Kristy

Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Page Count: 395 pages, Hardcover

Date Published: June 14th 2012

Find it on Goodreads: My Life Next Door

Source: Won

Rating:  5/5

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

 
A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

My Thoughts: This was exactly the type of book I needed...

My Life Next Door was a beautiful book. It was about love, family, friendship, loyalty, and so many other things in a teenager's life.The book had so many vibrant, flawed, amazing characters that I fell in love with. This was a book that was hard to put down, because I was so immersed in the story!

The Garretts were a family that I couldn't not love. Their mother and father after so many years of marriage, plus their 7 children were still in love as ever. They were loud and messy and rambunctious, and such a fun family. Each of the siblings had their own personalities and tiny little story line that made reading this novel so much more real...I adored the little brother George... He was so adorable! Then, there was the Reed family. Their house was prim and proper and always maintained control. Their family was small and it was a bit strained. Sam's sister left for the summer and her mother was always on the go with her campaign. Thus leaving Sam to live her life next door...

Sam and Jase's relationship was one of the best book relationships I've read in a long, long time. It was not an instant "I'm in love with you," but there was absolutely an attraction. They were adorably sweet together and spoke about everything from the physical side of their relationship to college and to so many other things. They took it slow and they became close. It was a relationship that I've always dreamed of having.

Yet, the romance in this novel was not the only story line. There was so much going on in the story, but it wasn't overwhelming.We have Nan, Sam's best friend and Tim, Nan's brother. Tim was a pretty large aspect to this book! Tim had problems with substance abuse, committing to school/jobs, and he drove everyone crazy. But he eventually became a loyal, loyal friend to Jase and Sam and played a significant part. Then there was the 'impossible decision' that Sam had to make, and I will admit, during this part of the book, I was pretty emotional. I was so attached to all of the characters by the end of the novel, and it was hard to see them go through such tough times. But honestly, this book felt so real. There were good moments and bad moments. Tough decisions to be made and consequences that follow. Some things were kind of unresolved, but that leaves the mystery up to the reader, which I loved. I don't think I can say one bad thing about this book. It was one of my favourites I've read all year! I'd suggest this one to anyone, really! I even convinced my mom to read it!

Happy reading!
~Kristy

Review: Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate

Author: Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate 

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Page Count: 291 pages, Hardcover

Date Published: October 2nd 2012

Find it on Goodreads: Eve and Adam

Source: Purchased

Rating:  3.5/5

 And girl created boy…

In the beginning, there was an apple—

And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.

Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.

Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?

  
My Thoughts: This is definitely a book that will make you think... 

Eve & Adam was not what I was expecting... I was very excited to read this book, because one of my favorite things to study are creation stories, so anything to do with creating life (other than how it usually happens...) sounds really interesting to me. Plus we've been talking about this a lot lately in English class and I think it's something important to touch on -The dangers of playing 'God'.

Although the concept of this book was really appealing, there was something about it once I started that threw me off.The writing wasn't bad, it was pretty well written, actually, but the style of it, at least in the beginning because of Eve's accident was a little bit hard to get used to. The story felt both fast and slow to me. There were some parts where I just wanted to get the book over with, and others that went to fast and were insanely amazing. The characters in this novel were... Interesting. I didn't love them, but they weren't ones that I completely hated. I've been trying to think about what made me not like them too much, and I think it's just that they were kind of cliched. Eve is some super gorgeous, smart girl that gets into an accident and then meets Solo, who is crazy hot and has a big secret. There wasn't anything crazy exciting about their relationship. What made the book for me was the science! I found the whole concept of the book so fascinating and I loved how much science was incorporated into the story, although I wish there had been more!

If you're into creation stories and books that are a little bit different, Eve & Adam would be great! It does speed up towards the end, which was nice, as well. I'm not sure if there is going to be a sequel or not, I've heard rumours of both, but it would be nice if there was! Let me know what you thought of Eve & Adam!

Happy reading!
~Kristy

Interview: Graham Sharpe

Hi everyone! Today I have a debut author on the blog for an interview! Graham Sharpe is the author of the new book Purple and is here to share with us a bit about him and his life!

 At the age of 12, author Graham Sharpe regularly danced around the lounge to Kate Bush's “Wuthering Heights.” Today, he still hasn't decided what he'll do when he grows up. So far, the East Sussex, England-based writer has worked in an ice cream shop, trained as a hairdresser, studied sociology and psychology, written for and performed with a touring theatre company, and backpacked across far-flung countries with loose change in his pocket. Graham now combines travelling with writing and he completed his first novel, Purple, during the sleepless, jet-lagged hours spent in hotel rooms around the world. 

Bookish Questions: 

1.    Where did you come up with the idea for Purple?

It is truly all of my life experiences combined that inspired me to write Purple. When I was 13 my best friend’s dad died in a car accident, and the realization that life doesn’t last forever is a major theme in Purple. Something else that really inspired me is the fact that I was bullied in high school for being gay. Also, when I’m not writing, I work as a flight attendant and I find a lot of inspiration while traveling.

2.    Is there anything really important you want your readers to take out of your novel? 

Purple incorporates so many themes that young people can relate to. For example, bullying and tolerance are touched on in Purple. Bullying is an especially important topic that I cover in the book. Whether it’s physical, verbal or mental, it’s impact can be extremely damaging and long-lasting. I hope the story and characters will inspire readers to be more accepting of others. I also wanted to convey the idea of following your dreams, especially for those who are creative.

3.    Did traveling as much as you have inspire your novel in any specific ways? 

Traveling has definitely inspired Purple. When I began working with the airline those long, sleepless jetlagged hours in hotel rooms gave me the opportunity to truly focus on my writing. After meeting people from all over the world, I’ve discovered that, despite our differences in language and colour, we’re all the same. We all respond to a smile or a kind gesture. That, to me, is really inspiring, and I think readers will pick up on that when they read Purple.

4.    Will there be a sequel to Purple? 

I am definitely going to work on a sequel to Purple. I really want to do it for the fans that are invested in these characters. From the beginning, I wanted the characters to be real, down to earth and accessible. I also want to elaborate on the themes that have made Purple so relevant while simultaneously exploring new ones.   

5.Did you have any difficulties coming up with a character?

When I began writing Purple, I wanted to write a story that reflected my life in some way. I think there’s a bit of myself in every character and that made it easier to develop each of them. For example, one of the characters is bullied in Purple because he’s black and has an American accent. I really used a lot of my own life experiences when incorporating those elements.

RANDOM TIME!

6.   3 favorite books from your childhood?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl – I still imagine finding a golden ticket in my chocolate bar wrapper.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins – This was one of the books I had to read in high school and it’s considered to be an early example of detective fiction. It was written in 1859. Luckily I had a great English teacher and she made it fascinating and accessible.

7.    Do you have a favorite animal? 

I think the giraffe is the most amazing animal I’ve ever seen. And they can run really fast.

8.    Pick 3 songs off of your playlist that EVERYONE should listen to (in your opinion). 

Go by Moby

Uprising by Muse

Someone Like You by Adele

9.    Favorite drink from a coffee shop?

Flat White (apparently in originated in New Zealand but I first drank one in Australia) it’s a variation on a latte, but I don’t think it’s as milky.

10.    If you could travel to ANY place, real or make believe, where would you go?

What a great question! Because I travel so much with my job I don’t want to get on a plane. Can I please travel forward in time to London’s Piccadilly Circus 500 years from now?

Purple is a fantasy adventure set in modern-day London. After a purple storm sweeps around planet Earth, stealing millions of people, four teenagers struggle to make it alone. Drawn together by a series of bizarre coincidences they soon find themselves entangled with a bunch of interfering pensioners. Among the cast of players are flamboyant hairdresser Mr. Rupert, Pearl the loud-mouthed tea lady, and June, a psychic, who travels the world on her motorbike.








Thank you so much for stopping by my blog, Graham!
Have a great day everyone!
~Kristy