TGIF: The Liebster?!

Hey guys!

Guess what? I received my very first blog award! This seriously means the world to me, so I would like to send a special thanks to Michelle from Vintage Cobweb. I appreciate this gesture so much!

I'm honored, to be thought of for something like this. It must mean that I'm doing something right in all my rambles! You may be wondering just what the heck is a Liebster. Don't worry, I was too. Liebster in German means 'beloved' or 'favorite'. (I am SO going to impress my German teacher tomorrow and tell her she's my 'liebster Lehrerin' [Beloved teacher!]) It is an award given by bloggers, to other bloggers, and in this case it is an award for a blog considered to be the "best kept secret." Really it's an award for a great blog with fewer than 200 followers. 

Wow. Best kept secret... aw! Now of course, the rules:

1. Thank the person that nominated you on your blog and link back to them.
2. Nominate up to five other blogs for the award.
3. Let them know via comment on their blog
4. Post the award on your blog

 So I always seem to really adore these really great blogs that don't get nearly as much recognition as they deserve, (and I'm saying they deserve hundreds, if not thousands of followers!) so here is a way that I can show them some love! I've selected these people for the Liebster Blog Award to go to:

Lulu at The Bookworm is Here

Cheyenne at {This Girl Reads} 
Melissa at ***Paranormally Romanced*** 

Sara at 21saraloves

 Leah Marie at Reading With My Eyes Shut

I've found that they really put a lot into what they write and are entertaining as well as informative. I hope you'll go check them out and follow them, too!

I'm not sure what else I should say, except for the fact that I'm so amazed at how much this blog is growing. I've been doing this for just under 3 months and I'm now at 90 followers. I know a lot of blogs hit that number a lot sooner, but I'm really proud of that accomplishment. :) 

Thanks again, Michelle!

-Kristy

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Author: Cynthia Hand

Publisher: Harper Collins

Page Count: 403 pages, Hardcover

Date Published: January 17th 2012    

                                                   

Goodreads Description:

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Publisher: Harper Collins

Page Count: 338 pages, Paperback

Date Published: November 15th 2011

 Goodreads Description:

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel

My Rating: 5/5 stars -  I love this book too much to describe!But I'll try!

Shatter Me is one of those books that you either love or hate, because of the style of writing. In my opinion, I loved it. Tahereh Mafi was able to make me feel like I was in Juliette's head. Which I adore! I read mostly to escape from my life, and this book was the perfect thing for that. The book is like Juliette's journal, with cross-outs and (as much as I hate to say it...) run-on sentences. But, they were intentional! (I hope.)

As I said before, while reading this book, it felt like I was in Juliette's head, watching everything she saw through her eyes. As a character, I loved Juliette! She was both likeable and strong. She was not weak, although she was scared of the power she had. The voice was clear and it was enough to make me adore this novel. Speaking a bit more about characters, Adam is probably my favorite guy/hero/love-interest in the many books I have read in a long time! He cared so deeply for Juliette, accepted her for who she was. There were obviously some special circumstances surrounding those two, but I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet! Then there's Warner, who is seriously captain creeps! I could see that he was in 'love' with Juliette, but I honestly believe that he was in love with her powers more than anything. He was bloodthirsty and trigger happy and just plain vicious!

Then, there is the setting. As much of a post-apocaplyptic world it was, I didn't find anything special or different about it as opposed to other recent dystopian-type reads. There was a government taking over, the people were in distress, what else is new? Except for maybe the big emphasis on the military aspect to it, the 'world' wasn't anything super special. But there's something more to it that we learn about at the end, which looks like it will be really interesting. I think that was the only main thing that disappointed me in the entire book, but it was such a small part of the actual story, the outside world I mean, that I don't really care too much about it! Seeing as I don't want to give anything away, I can't say much on what we do learn about it.

It's strange, but as much as I loved this book, I don't actually have too much more to say about it. It's not a book that I can easily explain my thoughts on for some reason. But, what I can say is that what I did absolutely, 100 % love about Shatter Me is that it clearly has a beginning, a middle and an end. Even though it is the first in a trilogy, it is it's own book. I think that the author did a great job in leaving us wanting more, but still satisfied with what we've got.

So, that's it for this book! I know it took a while, and that this came out last year but let's just say that I have a little catching up to do on 2011's TBR list as well as 2012's! Hopefully I can get some more down sooner than later! I'm kind of proud of this review...  it turned out better than I was expecting it to, considering how much I ramble when I love a book this much! I think it's the pressure of knowing that my English teacher now has the link to this blog and she could be reading anything that I write... (Hey, Ms. Johnson! :D) Haha anyways, I'm really hoping to catch up on my little pile of RNN (reviews needed now!) this week and also finish some e-books! They take so much longer for me to read than the actual physical copies of books! Have you noticed how long The Emerald Quest has been up on my currently reading section!? Shame on me, I know, I know. I'm almost done I swear!

Have a great night/day everyone!
~Kristy

In My Mailbox (8)

This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Every Sunday I'll put up which books I bought, borrowed or received for review. This way you'll have a little sneak peek on the reviews to look forward to soon! Just a warning for this post though, my 'a' key isn't working so if I do a typo, it's because  I forgot to 'paste'. :P Here's the books I got this week!

Bought:

     

 Library:

Borrowed:

Received from Netgalley:

Wow, I just realized that makes a little pyramid! Those are the books I got this week and I'm hoping that next week I will be able to say I finished a few! I can't wait for 'Across the Universe' because I'm possibly going to the 'Spring into the Future' book tour in Seattle on May 5th to meet Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me) and Beth Revis! Will any of you be going to one of their stops? I wish Anna Carey (Eve) was coming to the Seattle stop as well, but I can't complain, seeing as Tahereh is one of my new favorite authors! Here's the facebook page for more info on the tour and chances to win some amazing prizes: Spring into the Future.

Have a great day everyone!
~Kristy 

TGIF: Happy Hunger Games!

Hello everyone!
Happy Hunger Games! I know the movie has been out for a few days in some countries, but it was finally released last night at midnight where I live! I am going to see it this afternoon with a huge group of friends and I am ecstatic!!! I won't be able to post anything until Sunday, so I thought I'd just say hi and ask how your day is going? Also, I wanted to know: What 'Team' are you on? Obviously 'The Hunger Games' is so much more than a silly love-triangle love story, but it's always interesting to know which guy everyone is rooting for! I'm really not a big fan of the whole 'Team' thing, and yet I love love-triangle stories! (if you look to the left you'll see all my 'teams' :D) So I ask you:

Team Gale or Team Peeta?

Personally, I have always been rooting for Peeta. I could never understand why people wanted Katniss and Gale together... But after reading the books a couple more times it became a little bit more clear as to why. But still,I can never see Katniss with anyone other than Peeta. I relate to him so much and I seriously cry every time in Mockingjay, (those of you who've read it will know what I'm talking about). But, my friend is so in love with Gale! I was thinking about that the other day, as she and I are very different. She's super athletic and tough, whereas I'm a lot more artistic and sensitive... See the connection? Anyways, I'm rambling again so I'll cut off here. I just want to know! If you could choose who Katniss ended up with, would it be Gale or Peeta? Or maybe you have another ship that you like. Let me know! I love reading your guys' opinions!

Have a great Friday everyone!
And may the odds be ever in your favor! ;)
~Kristy

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

 Hey guys, how are you? I decided it was due time for my review on Everneath by Brodi Ashton, so instead of a meme today, I'll just let you know what I thought of this book! It was a pretty great book, but it wasn't as good as I was expecting it to be. I think I had set the bar a little too high for this one!

Author: Brodi Ashton

Publisher: Harper Collins / Balzer + Bray

Page Count: 370 pages, Hardcover

Date Published: January 24th 2012

 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...

My rating: 4/5 stars - I'd recommend it for sure, but it didn't 'wow' me like I thought it would.

I should just get this out of my system so that I don't go on a total rant later... I'm kinda, sorta, totally Team Cole. I know, I know! He's supposed to be terrible and mean and all that, but I really like him! Which is weird, because I almost always lean towards the guys like Jack in books like this! But I didn't actually like Jack that much until more towards the end. He really annoyed me at first, but then he gradually got better as a character. That was sort of how I felt for the entire book. The beginning was slow, didn't grasp my attention as much as it could have. But towards the middle it got so much better! Being a pretty huge mythology buff, this story was really intriguing. I love the myth of Persephone, so I really enjoyed the story in the book. Does that make sense? I guess I mean to say that I liked the plot. It was suspenseful but not... scary. Nikki wasn't my favorite protagonist ever, but I liked her in this story. I felt really terrible at the end of the story for both her and Jack, but that is all I'm going to say! I'm really excited for the sequel to come out next year!

So, that's it for today... I know, I've been working on Hallowed for what seems like a really long time, but I'm just not in the fantasy/paranormal mood right now. :( I finished the DUFF last night and I'm making good progress in the Emerald Quest! I'm hoping to post at least one more review this week as well! Plus.... less than two days until the Hunger Games movie!!!!!!! Who's excited!?

Have a good evening/day/night/morning, (whichever applies to your timezone!) everyone!

~Kristy

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on my Spring TBR List

Hey guys, happy Tuesday! I thought I'd give this meme a try, because it sounds cool and I totally have to make a list of books I NEED to read! Today's theme for Top Ten Tuesday, which is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish is books on your Spring 'to-be-read' list, an appropriate topic for today because it is  finally the first day of Spring! So these are the ten books that are on the top of my TBR list for the spring!

1. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour - This sounds like the best summer-y read and I have been dying to get in onto my bookshelf! I love the cover so much! I really hope it's a good book!

2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth - Divergent was really great and it left on such a cliff-hanger! I can't wait for the sequel... and more of Tobias!


3. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows - OMG. It's on my bookshelf!!!! EEEEEK! I finally found it! But, I'm waiting to read it on a day with no distractions so that I can enjoy it thoroughly.


4. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini - I recently watched the movie based on this book and loved it so much! It meant a great deal to me, so I'm looking forward to reading the book. I've heard it's really funny and I could  use a good laugh!


5. The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead - Umm, DUH! I cannot wait much longer for this book to come out!!!!! 83 days Kristy... only 83 more days. June 12th needs to come soon!!!


6. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - I can't believe I still haven't read this! I'm absolutely dying to read this book. The book trailer just came out and it looks so amazing!

7.  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Once again, how could I have not read this yet!? So many great things have been said about it, and yet I just keep stalling. I will read it!


8. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - My friend just lent this to me and couldn't stop raving about it. I'm really excited to read it and meet Noah! ;)


9. Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf - This book sounds so great and it's just... ah! I can't wait to read it, that's all I can say!


10. Tempest by Julie Cross - And one more time, WHY HAVE I NOT READ THIS YET!? Honestly, I thought it was part of the Hush Hush series at first, (which I have not read) so I wasn't interested, but now that I know it's about time travel, I am ecstatic!


Honestly, there are so many more books on my TBR that tie with these, but if I listed all of those, we would have to call this the Top Two-Hundred Tuesday! I think I might start doing this Tuesday meme, I love lists and it's kind of fun! 


Also, three things: 
1. I am being very slow while reading Hallowed. It's sort of disappointing me, as it seems really predictable. So  I might just take a break from that and come back to it. 

2. After a ton of confusion with someone stealing my account, I'm finally in to myhogwarts.co.uk! Did anyone else get into Beta testing?

3. I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of my followers. It's been incredible, waking up every morning and seeing that someone else followed my blog! I really truly appreciate it and I am planning on doing a giveaway once I hit 100. Thank you!!!


Okay, well... Happy first day of Spring! It is so nice out right now, I think I'm gonna go on a walk! Have a great day everyone!
~Kristy

In My Mailbox (7)

This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Every Sunday I'll put up which books I bought, borrowed or received for review. This way you'll have a little sneak peek on the reviews to look forward to soon! I received a kindle copy of a book from the author this week, plus I bought some others and was gifted one too! I'm really pleased with my haul this week and I can't wait to read all of these!

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (I couldn't wait for the paperback -.-)

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl (I FINALLY FOUND IT!!!)

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger (Yay! I can't wait to read this!)

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (OMG!!! I found it!)

The Hunger Games Tribute Guide (:D)

)

The Hunger Games: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (Read this in one sitting... literally.)

The Emerald Quest by Renee Pawlish (Thanks to the author for sending me the kindle copy!)

That's what I got this week! I'm reading Hallowed right now but I've been a little slow with it. I'm kind of taking a break from speed-reading and just... chilling. :)

Good night!
~Kristy

Author Interview: Jessica Spotswood!

I mentioned last night that today would have two posts, a special one in the morning and my IMM in the evening. So if you couldn't already tell, in this super awesome post I am welcoming Jessica Spotswood, author of BORN WICKED! This is my very first author interview and can I just say that I am STOKED that it could be with an author who wrote such an incredible book!

If you haven't already seen my review on her book click here. Find Jessica on goodreads or visit her website: jessicaspotswood.com.

With all the paranormal romance novels lately, what drew you to writing a story about witches?

I wanted to write about a society where educated, independent girls weren’t valued, but without making it seem preachy. I wanted to give the Brotherhood and the general populace a real reason to fear them. In this society, the Brothers use witchery as an excuse to persecute disobedient women, but the witches did do some terrible things in the name of protecting themselves.  Their magic does give them a great deal of power. It’s not entirely black and white. And it gave my girls a lot of inner conflict, too, as they struggle with what they believe about their magic and their own potential.

If you were in Cate's shoes, who would you pick? Finn or Paul? 

Finn. He was inspired a little by my husband, who is also a clever guy with freckles and messy hair.                                                                                                                                                                            

Was that even a question!? Team Finn all the way!!!

 

While writing BORN WICKED, were there any characters that were either especially difficult or especially easy for you to write? 

 

Tess’s dialogue is sometimes hard for me to write, because she’s mature for her age and very observant, but she’s still only twelve. And Elena can be a challenge, because she’s very manipulative and ambitious, but she’s not a bad person.

Since you love the number three (as I read on your blog), if you had to describe BORN WICKED in three words, what would they be? 

 

Sisters, witches, kissing.                                                                                                                                          

 

Do have a favorite time and place to write? 

 

I love writing late at night (I seem to focus especially well after midnight) in my office, with a cup of tea!

  I hear ya! That's around the time that I get most of my work done, too! Although, I don't have an office yet...

What are you reading right now and what book(s) have you had your eye on lately but haven’t had the chance to read yet?

 

I’m reading SPELL BOUND by Rachel Hawkins right now. Next on my list: THE OTHER LIFE by Susanne Winnacker, BLACK CITY by Elizabeth Richards, SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo, and GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers.

What is your favourite thing to get from Starbucks?

Earl Grey tea! And I love their birthday-cake cake pops, too.

 Yum!

 
Thanks for answering a few of my questions Jessica! It was a pleasure chatting with you. :)

Remember: Star Cursed comes out February 7th 2013! I know it's a long wait, but I'm betting that it's going to be totally worth it!

Talk to you guys later,
~Kristy

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Hey guys!

Today I am going to finally do my review on  Jessica Spotswood's first book BORN WICKED. It is the first book in her new trilogy 'The Cahill Witch Chronicles' and it was amazing!

Author: Jessica Spotswood

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Page Count: 330 pages, Hardcover

Date Published: February 7th 2012

Goodreads Description:

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars. (Really liked the book as a whole and would recommend it to someone else and would most definitely read it again.)


 First of all, I just want to say that I adore this cover! It's so gorgeous, but kind of freaky too. While I was reading this, my little brother caught a glimpse of it and mentioned how creepy it looked. Keep in mind that he's eight years old, so probably any cover with a beautiful girl on the cover would frighten his cooties-infested mind! Anyway, if you've read the book you'll know the significance of the roses in her hair and the garden-y feel to it. I also love the font of the title. So pretty! 


Onto the story! It took me a little while to really get into this book. It's not that it's slow, I just had a lot on my mind and it wasn't a story that immediately took my mind off of things. BUT, then it took off around chapter four or five and I was bewitched! (Pun intended.) It took me just under two days to read it and once I got in tuned with the story, I couldn't tear my eyes off of the page. I would be in class and miss instructions because I was hiding it just under my desk, reading all about Cate and her sisters. I really liked the fact that this book was both a story about romance and about family. It felt for me as though the love story came second to the other events, meaning that the witchcraft and the family drama was what really stood out for me. Jessica did a great job in keeping the history part of the story alive and real. Seeing as we had just finished studying about the witch hunts in Social Studies, it was especially fun for me to read this. I was able to compare everything I had learned in class with the fictional events in the story. (I sound like such a nerd!) I loved Cate's sisters, especially Tess. I felt as if I could relate to her so much, even though she wasn't the main protagonist. The fact that she was so mature for such a young age reminded me of myself when I was twelve. I really hope we get to see a lot more of her in the following two books! On the subject of characters I liked, I might as well say that I am 100% Team Finn! He was once again, a model guy in my mind. Sweet, handsome and totally unsuitable!? PERFECT!!! The ending of this book was so sad, and I felt so terrible for both Finn and Paul actually. I read the final line, shut the book and just sat in my chair, thinking about all that happened. I loved the way this book was written, the way that Cate's thoughts flowed into my own. I really felt like I was in the story, which is one of the reasons that I read so much. To escape our world and go into another. Thank you Jessica, for allowing me to do that with this book and to enter a world filled with mystery, love and of course, magic!


Star Cursed, the sequel and second book in this fantastic new trilogy comes out February 7th 2013. To say I am ecstatic for its release would be a bit of an understatement!
 
 Tomorrow will probably have two posts. One very special post in the morning, and my IMM in the evening. 


Good night  everyone! 
~Kristy

TGIF: Foretold release date!

Hello everyone!

 How's your day going so far? I hope it's going great because....

Isn't it a great thing, Friday? My day is going really great so far. It's my little brother's birthday today and so my mom is making ice cream cake, yummy! I have now passed the 50 follower mark and I'm on my way to meeting my goal of 75 by April 29th (my birthday), so thank you! AND, Richelle Mead just announced that the anthology Foretold, in which she has a short story about Rose and Dimitri visiting his family in Russia has been moved up to be released on August 28th! YAY!!!! Considering it was originally coming out in November, that's big news! The cover was released earlier this week so I thought I'd share that with you as well. I normally don't buy anthologies, but this one looks so great that I HAVE to get it!

 Goodreads Description:


Have you ever been tempted to look into the future? To challenge predictions? To question fate?

It's human nature to wonder about life's twists and turns. But is the future already written—or do you have the power to alter it?

From fantastical prophecies to predictions of how the future will transpire, Foretold is a collection of stories about our universal fascination with life's unknowns and of what is yet to come as interpreted by 14 of young adult fiction's brightest stars.











So, yeah! It has stories by authors like Richelle Mead, Lisa McMann, Laini Taylor and Meg Cabot. That's super exciting, and I'm really thrilled to find out what the contributed to this book! Okay, so the cover.... GORGEOUS. A little bit depressing, but it's still amazing looking. I actually really like the girl's dress.I know there's been some people saying they think it's ugly but I personally feel that it's perfect for this cover. Going back to the cover in general I think it has such a haunted feel to it, like she just woke up from a really bad nightmare or something. I mean, haunted is probably the look they were going for, so good job on that guys! Plus it's edited by Carrie Ryan which is pretty cool as well.

How excited are you for this anthology! I was jumping up and down when I saw Richelle's post about it, because if you've read the entire Vampire Academy series, you'll know how dramatic a trip to Russia would be for Rose and Dimitri! August 28th... CAN YOU COME SOON PLEASE!?

Have an excellent Friday everyone!
~Kristy

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I had been really hesitant about reading Divergent, as there was no real description on the back, but there had been so much talk about it I decided to purchase it and THANK GOODNESS I DID! This book has everything I love in a dystopia-type novel. It's sexy, it's intense and it has surprises at every turn of the page.

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher:  Katherine Tegen Books

Page Count: 487 pages, Paperback

Date Published: January 1st 2011

Goodreads Description:

In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

ONE CHOICE

Decides your friends

ONE CHOICE

Defines your beliefs

ONE CHOICE

Determines your loyalties--Forever.

ONE CHOICE 

CAN TRANSFORM YOU

My Rating: 4/5 ~It took me a while to understand everything, but when I did... I was hooked!

As I said before, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book because of the lack of description on the paperback copy. (That was all that had been in stock at my store.) But I had heard so many great things about it that I was like 'What the heck!' and bought it. I began reading it just after I finished Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver and if you've read my review on that, you'll know how P.O.'ed I was at the end! So going into this book I was really hoping it would keep my mind off of the other book and I was a little bit disappointed. I'm not sure if it was just because of the situation I was in but I didn't get super absorbed into this book until about halfway through. The beginning was not bad, it was actually really good. It just seemed a bit predictable as to what Tris' choice would be and how she'd react to it. Beatrice was a great protagonist in my mind. She didn't bother me that much at all actually. I really admired her strength and dedication to her family. Four/Tobias was... cool. No. He was amazing. I really loved Tris and him together! This was one of those rare books with no love-triangle... YAY! Don't get me wrong, I love a good triangle, but it was refreshing not to have one for once. But, I'm just wondering... do we know what color hair Four/Tobias has? Because... either I missed it or we never find out. I'm picturing him with dark brown hair right now, but something's also telling me that may not be it. Hmmm... can anyone help me out with this?

In the long run, I really loved this book. It was a lot better than I was expecting it to be, but it also didn't live up to some of the raving reviews I've seen. If you're like me and can't seem to get really into it at first, just keep going! It gets sooooo much better in the second half, and you do not want to miss the ending. It's dramatic and mind blowing and seriously crazy. I cannot wait to read what happens next!

Let me know what you thought of Divergent, and also... what  color hair does Four/ Tobias have? I'm seriously confused.

Only 46 more days until INSURGENT!
~Kristy

'W' squared Wednesday (5)

Good afternoon everyone! I sincerely hope everyone is having a fabulous day! What should my Dumbledore quote be today? How about this: “Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak.” Haha I love that! Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak everyone!

Anyways, every Wednesday I will post a book I am waiting for it's release in 2012 and also any books I am wanting to read but haven't had the chance yet. Then hopefully, my next IMM will have one of those books in it! (Crossing fingers). Feel free to join me in this every week if you'd like!

Waiting for:

Hollow by Richard Denney
Doesn't this look goregous!? Hollow comes out August 14th 2012 and I'm so stoked to read it!

Wanting:

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
OMG! I can't believe I waited so long to read Unearthly! Now, I'm just dying for this book!

So, that's it for today! Nothing super exciting, but I think this is my favorite meme to do! I'm always in a good mood on Wednesdays it seems, so they're such a happy post.  If you do any special Wednesday posts, let me know and give me a link!

Oh, and on another note... I don't think I'm going to do a Teaser Tuesday anymore. I'm always either in the mood to review, or not on the computer on Tuesdays! So, yeah... I might do them occasionally but not every week anymore.

Anyways, I'm rambling again!

Bye!

~Kristy

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

Lauren Oliver's blurb on the front says exactly what this novel is. "Inventive, funny, beautiful, heartbreaking". Everyone needs to go get a copy of this book ASAP.

Author: Jess Rothenberg

Publisher:  Penguin Young Readers Group

Page Count: 400 pages, Hardcover

Date Published: February 21st 2012

Goodreads Description:
Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

My Rating: 5/5 ~I can never explain to you how much I adore this book. But.... I can try:

 The Catastrophic History of You and Me is one of those rare books that I instantly fell in love with after the first line. I read this: "There's always that one guy that gets a hold on you." and just like that I was hooked. This novel is a masterpiece and Jess Rothenberg seems to have a key to my very deepest thoughts, because everything about Brie I could relate to myself. Brie was so real and so alive (but, dead...) on the pages. She was everything I have been looking for in a protagonist. Funny, caring, sweet but with a dark side that's almost always hidden. Nothing could have prepared me for how much I adored this book. I was in English class one day, reading of course and honestly, the guy sitting next to me probably thought I was some emotional wreck.. This book will make you laugh and it will make you cry, all on the same page. Having a love for music will be a great thing while reading this story. At every chapter, with each new song for the title I would either be singing it in my head, or those rare ones that I didn't know I would look up and fall in love with. The music-chapters set such a great mood for this book!And of course, where would this review be if I did not talk about Patrick? The boy was hilarious and heart-broken. Absolutely gorgeous and what every teen girl hopes to find in their little slice of heaven when they die of a broken heart. His story is one of the biggest spoilers I can give to this review, so I'll just cut off here by saying that Patrick and Brie are officially on my list of all-time favorite characters. Plus, they're up there with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Wow, is all I can say. Despite the tears I shed over this book, it is definitely not a sad story. It has joy and hope and love and loss and everything else in between. I rarely cry while reading, but this one had me reaching for the tissues at some of the saddest parts, and the happiest. The Catastrophic History of You and Me was not like anything I was expecting, but it was so much better. The story is clearly over, but I am still yearning for more.

If you have not yet read this book, I highly recommend that you do. Rothenberg made this quirky, magical and unforgettable world that I loved  more than I can ever say!

Thanks for reading!
~Kristy

In My Mailbox (6)

This weekly meme is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. Every Sunday I'll put up which books I bought, borrowed or received for review. This way you'll have a little sneak peek on the reviews to look forward to soon!

So... I got a pretty big haul this week. Coles was having a buy three get the fourth free sale, plus I bought three more from my favorite used bookstore. I now have a pile of 19 or 20 books to read, either that I've bought or borrowed... eep! Plus, in preparation for the HUNGER GAMES movie, I'm rereading the trilogy! Only 12 more days!!! I'm just falling in love with them over and over again! This is my third time reading them and I love them even more each time I read this amazing series. I will be doing a post about what I thought of the movie, plus a little blurb about how much I adore the books on the 24th of March (the day after I see the movie). But, this is not that post, so let's get started!

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Shatter Me  by Tahereh Mafi

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Ok, so those are the books that I bought from Coles. I received Unearthly for free because of their promotion and I am super excited to read it! I finished the Catastrophic History of You and Me in two days, and I LOVED it! My review on it will be up tomorrow. Now, here's what I bought from my favorite used book store:

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Before I show the last book I'd like to explain a few things. 1. I have read Impossible before, but I forgot what it was called and then I was trying to find it again, but then I gave up. UNTIL, my friend and I were in the store and she showed me this book and I freaked out. No joke. Freaked out to the max. I love this book so much! 2. I've read half of the Ally Carter book, but that was two years ago. Then my mom bought me the third novel, thinking I had read the first two. So I thought since I have the third, I should probably read the first two! 3. Feel free to laugh at the final book in this post:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling.

Yes, this is my second copy of this book. I have read the entire series too many times to count, (I am not just saying that. Ask anyone who has known me for a long time and they can confirm it.) and so, my copies are all falling apart. So since no one can really touch my Potter books except for me I decided I'd slowly buy a second second-hand set! I'm in desperate need of another Order of the Phoenix, so I might buy that next. But I won't be paying full price for a brand new copy of each one. I got this for I think, five dollars!? Fellow Potterheads either understand completely, or would be horrified by how beat up my set is. BUT: Keep in mind that I have had books 1-4 since I was four years old, thus purchasing the following three as they were released!

Okay, so that was more of a ramble than I had wanted, but it got my point across! Hope you enjoyed this week's IMM and I'll talk to you tomorrow!

~Kristy

TGL: BIG NEWS!!!!!!!

Calling all Vampire Academy/Bloodlines fans!!! BIG.... HUGE... ENORMOUS NEWS!

Richelle Mead had her Twitter chat today and I was reading the transcription..... 

BLOODLINES IS COMING OUT JUNE 12th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Instead of coming out June 19th)

^My face, if I was a monkey...

Don't believe me? (About the news... I can't really prove to you how shocked I was...) http://penguinbtl.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/richelle-mead-twitter-chat-transcript.html 

A.K.A. News that just made my day!!!

Anyways... I just thought I'd let you know that amazing news, had you not already seen it! I'm just going to go mark my calendar... and change the countdown widget... and tell all my VA friends!!!!! 

Bye! 

~Kristy

'W' Squared Wednesday -4

Good morning! (at least, for me!) I hope everyone is having a fabulous day. And if not, then I hope tomorrow will be so much better! As the great Albus Dumbledore once said: “Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Okay, so I'm now getting way off topic... here's what's up for today's post.

 Every Wednesday I will post a book I am waiting for it's release in 2012 and also any books I am wanting to read but haven't had the chance yet. Then hopefully, my next IMM will have one of those books in it! (Crossing fingers). Feel free to join me in this every week!

Waiting for:

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
I cannot wait for this book. Divergent was so great, and it left on such a crazy ending! If you scroll down, to the left you'll see a countdown of how many more days until it comes out! Yay!!!

Wanting:

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
I've been contemplating getting this book for a long time now. The other day, my friend was reading the second book and I was so jealous! So, I think I'm going to borrow them from her and then I'll let you know what I think!

That's probably all for today, I've got a ton of homework for tomorrow, (my teachers are on strike right now) and so I've got to get to work!

Talk to you soon!

~Kristy