Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Book Review : Possession

Book: Possession
Author: Elana Johnson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date Published: June 7, 2011
Pages: 416
Source: GalleyGrab
Date Read: May 21, 2011

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

Summary Taken from Goodreads
Yani's Review:
I have talked and talked and talked to others about this book, and yet I still don't know how I feel about it. So I will just write you the four notes I took while reading and explain them:

ONE   "No explanation of the world yet, but reminds me of Uglies series.... I like how she doesn't care about getting in trouble"

So this note came after the first couple of pages where I still wasn't getting what the world was about. What is this dystopian book about? What is the government limiting or controlling? I had lots of questions like this in the beginning because it pretty much jumps into the action. I actually really liked that about the story, it moved really quickly and a lot of things happened over the course of the book. I can see many authors even dividing the book into two or three parts with how much is learned and how many things happen.

Second part consists of Vi and her badass-ness. Love those type of female leads.

TWO "Contradictions: a land called freedom, bad, and good"

So it seems like this book is alot about labels and how they never really encopass things completely. Freedom wasn't free. Badies weren't all bad. Goodies aren't all good.

THREE "I'm not understanding this, but enjoying the ride."

So this is where I sort of drop from LOVED it to REALLY LIKED IT. The book jumps alot, from one train of thought to another, from on action to another, from one scene to another. Transitions where weird, trains of thoughts where hard to follow and at one point I was COMPLETELY lost. However, that didn't stop me from reading. Not once.

FOUR "Jag"
Simple as that note is, it holds a lot of power with me. I loved loved loved Jag and his relationship with Vi. They really got one another, and I love how their story grew. 
SPOILER-ISH SIDE NOTE (highlight to read): There is no note for this last part but I want to warn before you go into the story... the ending is shocking, and there is no sequel planned. And while I don't need all my endings to be cookie cutter happy, I really wish this one could have been. But I get it, you don't always win.
My Review in a Tweet: I love the idea of this book more than the execution, still I could not put it down. You could say I was Possessed.
Ratings:
Plot: 4/5
Writing Style: 3/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Characters: 5/5

Similar Titles:
MatchedDeliriumUglies (The Uglies)
Other Reviews:

Monday, June 27, 2011

Blog Tour : Songbird


I don't know if you guys have heard, but there is this little book called Songbird that I received recently on a book tour and WOW. You can find my review here or by clicking Songbird tag below. It's the 1st stop of the Songbird Book TeenBookScene Tour and Angela has come by the blog to talk a little about herself and her projects. Find Angela on Twitter!
I am a Canadian transplant, living and working in the US who, after years of procrastination, started writing and hasn't stopped since. Not an easy task considering I have a husband and young daughter, and also work full time as an elementary school teacher.

When I first started writing, I had no idea how to approach it, and honestly I still don't. Every writer I talk to starts differently. For me that means sitting down at the computer and typing as it comes to me. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't. My first novel is still under the revision process thanks to my unplanned approach. Songbird is actually the second novel I wrote and most of it was done in a month during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Finishing Songbird and then the revising and editing took a bit longer, but this story just flowed for me much better than my other novel.

With Songbird finally complete, and my first novel temporarily shelved due to revision issues, I am working on Graced, A Trilogy. The Graced trilogy follows three sisters, Phoebe, Chloe, and Lilly as they struggle to find the purpose of the special gifts they've been graced with: truth telling, prophecy, and healing. The first book, Liar, is Phoebe's story, followed by Lilly's book Heal Me, and will conclude with Witness, Chloe's tale.

Monday, June 27: Yani at The Secret Life of an Avid Reader
Tuesday, June 28: Ashley B at Basically Amazing Books
Wednesday, June 29: Amber at Down The Rabbit Hole
Thursday, June 30: Britta at I Like These Books
Friday, July 1: Cyndi at Dog-Eared & Bookmarked

Monday, July 4: Bailey at IB Book Blogging
Tuesday, July 5: Kai at Amaterasu Reads
Wednesday, July 6: Reagan at Shadow Star Blog
Thursday, July 7: Patricia at Patricia’s Particularity
Friday, July 8: Heather at Proud Book Nerd

Monday, July 11: Bailey at IB Book Blogging
Tuesday, July 12: Crystal at My Reading Room
Wednesday, July 13: Amber at Down the Rabbit Hole
Thursday, July 14: Corrine at Lost For Words
Friday, July 15: Patricia at Patricia’s Particularity

Monday, July 18: Jen D at What’s on the Bookshelf?
Tuesday, July 19: Hannah at Paperback Treasures
Wednesday, July 20: Heidi at YA Bibliophile
Thursday, July 21: Britta at I Like These Books
Friday, July 22: Lilibeth at Chica Reader

Book Review : Songbird

By: Angela Fristoe
Publisher: Little Prince Publishing
Pages: 208
Source: TeenBookScene Tour

There are defining moments in life when everything changes. For Dani Mays, it was the day she witnessed her father kill her brother. Now seventeen years-old, she still hasn't put it behind her.

After Jace's death, she bounced between her alcoholic mother and foster homes, until she found a permanent place. And a reason to stay: Reece Tyler He's her best friend, yet Dani wants more from Reece.

Faced with possibly losing Reece, Dani struggles to define his place in her life and escape the memories of her brother's death and the influence it has over her choices. Even as she weaves the pieces of her heart back together, the past becomes more than a memory when a former foster brother reappears and Dani begins receiving threatening phone calls.

Summary Taken from Goodreads
Yani's Mini-Review:
I received this book as part of a book tour and I am so glad I signed up for it. This book has one of the most emotional starts to a book I have ever read. Literally my first note about the book was "I was crying by page 4." Dani is someone that's been through a lot in life, she carries all this emotional baggage and you can tell it affects her every day. I really loved this part of the story.

The story is told in the present with past memories seeping in between. I loved the style of it and I loved the emotional past memories and it shows how Dani has grown because of it.

What I didn't like much was how the story progresses. I felt Angela added more and more for Dani to deal with, and while I can see what she was trying to do, I feel like the story got a little bombarded and diluted from what should have been the main focus. While I did love Dani's relationship with Reece (friendship to love), I wanted to hit them sometimes when they couldn't see what was right in front of them!

I have no quotes to give on this one, it's an adventure you will have to discover on your own...
My Review in a Tweet: Heart wrenching, emotional, and deals with so many issues. You are instantly inside Dani's mind and hope that things will work out for that songbird.

Ratings:
Plot: 4/5
Writing Style: 4/5
Uniqueness: 5/5
Characters: 4/5


Angela Fristoe is a debut novelist with Little Prince Publishing and is gearing up for the release of her first YA Romance, Songbird. She was the winner, and double finalist, in the Romance category of The Strongest Start Contest 2010 hosted by The Next Big Writer. When not writing, she teaches and spends time with her family.

ebook $2.99
print $8.99
ISBN: 978-0615470491


Angela's Website & Blog
Songbird Website

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Faves of 2011... So Far!! (Day 2)

DAY TWO: the characters (& the covers)
Hosted by: Inkcrush
I really tried to not repeat like I didn't in the first one, but picking characters was so much harder because the same one kept popping in my head!!!

1. best female POV...  Aura from Shift and Shade series, I really like her voice and those books.

2. best male POV... I love Adam from Where She Went so freaking much!!

3. Best couple <3... No contest with this one, hands down Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 3) has the best couple (Sam and Grace), and semi-couple (Isabel and Cole) =P

4. who i so want to be best friends with... April from Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have).

5. who i fell completely in love with (new literary crush)... FOUR!!!! From Divergent (Divergent Trilogy) seriously, crushing hard on him *swoon* ... see also Noah from The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and other Swoon Listed hehe

6. worst (best) villian... From A Need So Beautiful, she is so mysterious and we still don't know what she wants?!?!

7. best character twist (who you loved then hated or vice versa)... all the Goddess Test characters, I flip flopped opinions on most of them haha

8. best kick-arse female... Rose from Vampire Academy has one of the best voices and snark ever.

9 best kick-arse male... Dimitri also from Vampire Academy, also on Swoon List.

10. broke your heart the most... Conrad from the Summer series, so tormented! Swoon Listed.

11. best/worst character names... I would say weirdest would be Elder from Across the Universe, while I loved the character his name really bothered me, along with Etienne (Anna and the French Kiss). I liked calling him St. Clair because I just feel silly saying Etienne, like I am trying to be hoity toity, though if I could pull it off maybe I would like it more! Best name => Aura, from Shade and Shift, love that name.

BONUS: 5 fave covers (from books i have read)...
Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy)Across the UniverseThe Goddess Test (Harlequin Teen)
GraceThe Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

In My Mailbox 6/26/11

In My Mailbox {aka IMMB} is hosted by The Story Siren.



Bought:
Perfect Fifths: A Jessica Darling Novel (Jessica Darling Novels (Three Rivers))
The Summer of Skinny Dipping
Fourth Comings: A Jessica Darling Novel
Through My Eyes

For Review:
The Beginning of After
The Mephisto Covenant: The Redemption of Ajax
Drink, Slay, Love
Ashes (Ashes (Hardcover - Trilogy))

Library:
Darkfever (Fever Series, Book 1)

Trade:
Daughter of Smoke and Bone



Blogs Mentioned:

Friday, June 24, 2011

Faves of 2011... So Far!!

DAY ONE: the books
Hosted by: Inkcrush
I am going to try not to repeat and put books in one category, but for the most part, a lot of them fall into different ones.


1. favourite book read so far in 2011... I actually answered this question last, it's so hard to pick one favorite, but based on how many times I waned to say a book as the winner, I picked my favorites and they are A Need So Beautiful and Divergent.

2. most powerful book... Grace, this story just really hit me and it was so honest and real.

3. brilliantly funny... no competition (since I mostly read very dramatic stuff this year) Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have), with a commendation to the He's So Not Worth It series for having Annie's notes in the book.

4. best ache-y, heart-breaking, tear-jerker read... I am a big emotional nut, so a lot of the books that won other categories fall into this one as well, but I am choosing Paradise and Where She Went.

5. most beautiful story... A Need So Beautiful is one of the most surprising and most beautiful/haunting stories of a girl that doesn't want to be forgotten.

6. delicious rainy day comfort read... The Summer I Turned Pretty Series just has everything you could want, romance, drama, two hot boys!

7. adrenalin-fuelled, unputdownable award... Divergent (Divergent Trilogy) FTW!!! I am not kidding when I say I read this from 9 am to 10 pm in one day! But I have to give a second place in this one, because The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was pretty hard to put down as well.

8. the beautiful prose award... because she is probably the best and most beautiful writer that I have enjoyed reading this much: Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 3) and the whole Shiver series.

9. most atmospheric and vivid setting... Playing Hurt takes place in the beautiful mountains, and was described so vividly, loved that.

10. i-so-want-to-go-there award... Paris, of course because of both Anna and the French Kiss and Die For Me.

11. most original and imaginative... Across the Universe, I had never read much Sci-Fi but I think this story was very original and different!

12. best under-appreciated, hidden gem book... These would be the indies: Between the Lines, Songbird,  and In the Storm.

13. i-had-no-idea-i-would-love this-so award... Forgive My Fins the cover nor the blurb in the back drew my attention, but after reading a review for it I picked it up and loved it!! Also, A Need So Beautiful was very unexpected.

14. most haunting story... because this really did happen in the past, maybe not the exact story, but Between Shades of Gray for the fact that humanity would allow this to happen to a family.

15. outside my comfort zone but gosh how i loved it... I am really liking the new greek mythology thing so Falling Under, Starcrossed, and  The Goddess Test (Harlequin Teen) where very different from my usual.

16. series that i’m loving... Vampire Academy! Just read the first one yesterday and I can't wait to read the rest!!

17. most memorable voice award... many of them, but I will go with A Need So Beautiful again.

18. completely awesome premise award... Wither (The Chemical Garden Trilogy) has the best premise of all dystopian, and the way society handles it, I believe is pretty realistic. 

19. would make the best movie... Nightshade series! There is action, rebellions, and a love triangle. Also, Divergent and Possession! The boys of both are just so *sigh*

20. want to re-read already... Shade and Shift by Jeri Smith Ready because I don't want to forget a single thing for when book 3 comes out!!


Special Mentions:
Angelfire (Angelfire - Trilogy) 
Unearthly
Delirium
Fall for Anything 
Ghost and the Goth 
and for romance = anything Sarah Maclean!
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