Mini Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Today I'm doing a little "mini review" on a book I read recently and really liked!

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Publishing on March 27, 2012 by Harlequin Teen

My Source: Harlequin Teen Panel

Kate Winters has won immortality. 

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it. 

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. 

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

Mini Review: Goddess Interrupted, the second book in The Goddess Test series, is a must read for fans  of the first book.

I loved The Goddess Test so I was more then a little excited to read this one! My only complainant about this one is the slow start. It took me awhile to get back into the book and into the character's minds again. But other than that minor complainant this turned out to be a great read!

Kate, the main character, is as feisty as ever. There were a few moments when I really wanted to slap some sense into her but she surprised me quite a few times during the book. Kate is such a strong character.

That ENDING was so intense and it really just blew me away. The ending of Goddess Interrupted almost makes up for the slow start in the beginning.

Goddess Interrupted is a fun, sometimes deep, read that is definitely worth picking up!

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Title: A Million Suns
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf


Summary: Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

Review: A Millions Suns is a book that I was dying to read ever since I read Across the Universe back in March of last year. A Millions Suns is a book that I absolutely love.

I'm amazed by Revis' writing style. It just keeps getting better and better. Not only is is beautiful, but it carries the story in so many amazing places. There was never a moment that I was bored with the writing or the plot, for that matter.

I'm so in love with the characters of Amy and Elder. Just everything about them makes me so happy. I thought that I loved them in Across the Universe but they have just grown so much. Elder was having such a hard time ruling the Godspeed and my heart just went out to him. He definitely went through some hard times. Amy was just as special to me! She is just a great main character.

But the thing that really grabbed me about A Million Suns is the mystery and the questions that were answered!!! The mystery in this book was so clever and Beth Revis has got to be a genius! So many new things were revealed in this installment. You are going to be shocked. I know I was.

A Million Suns is an intense and amazing book. I'm so excited for next book, Shades of Earth, even if it will be the last one and I will have to tell these beautiful characters goodbye. If you haven't had a chance to read this series, do it now. You are definitely missing out on a great series.


Rating:

In My Mailbox (64)

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren to share all the books we got during the week!

I got a few releases this week that I've just been dying for!!

Everneath by Brodi Ashton: I've seen so many great things on this book and I'm SO happy to finally get it!

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons: This one doesn't come out till Tuesday so I was so excited when I saw it on the shelves! It definitely looks like a great read!

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand: I loved Unearthly, the first book, and I'm hoping Hallowed will be just as good. I've seen some mixed reviews so far but I'm hoping I'll like it!

From the library: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: I've seen nothing but great reviews for this book. I've never read anything John Green, so why not start now!?

That's it for me! What did you get it your mailbox?

Blog Happenings (64)

Hi everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying their evening!

READING:

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen-I'm really enjoying this one right now!! 

I kind of reading All Unquiet Things right now, but not really.

READ:

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter-I enjoyed this one so much more than I thought I would. The ending was amazing!

TO READ:

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Ravenstroke by August Blythe

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

I've hardly read anything and I feel so awful! But this week has just been so busy for me; I had a huge Russia project due! 

I've worked most of the day on my  homework and studying. So, I hope to devote most of the day tomorrow to reading. I'm having such a hard time finding time to actually get some reading done!

I'm going to leave you with that because I have an Edgar Allen Poe assignment to finish up and tons of reading to do!

I'll see everyone tomorrow for IMM!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: Janurary 2, 2012
Source: Bought


Summary: Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A. 

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is an adorable read that will absolutely make your heart melt.

When we're first introduced to the main character, Hadley, I wasn't sure if I was going to like her. But I ended up loving her character. She's hurt by her father's new marriage to a women she doesn't know. She's just a very lost girl at the beginning of the book. Hadley grows so much during this short book. She really becomes someone that's admirable.

Oliver, the love interest, is just as sweet. Oliver, too, is broken. He also has this adorable air about him that I loved. Hadley's and Oliver's conversations were amazing. Some were deep, some were silly and all were magical.

The plot of this one was adorable. Who doesn't like a romance that starts on an airplane? Smith definitely did this aspect well. Even though The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight takes place over 24 hours it never feels rushed in any aspect. The story line of this one couldn't be better!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a must-read for fans of contemporary that are looking for something different that will most definitely make them smile.


Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (67)

Happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to show books we can't wait to read!

This week's pick is:

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu
August 7, 2012

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.


Glitch sounds fantastic! I absolutely love the idea of a glitch suddenly making the character experience her own emotions. It sounds like a great idea. Max and Adrien sounds interesting enough. Though, I'm not really welcoming the sound of a love triangle... but you never know! I think this is going to be a great debut! Hurry up August!

Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse

Title: Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse
Author: Lucas Klauss
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Source: Galley Grab
Add to your shelf


Summary: Phillip's sophomore year is off to a rough start. One of his best friends ditches him for a group of douchebags. His track coach singles him out for personalized, torturous training sessions. And his dad decides to clean out all of the emergency supplies from the basement, even though the world could end in disaster at any moment...and even though those supplies are all Phillip has left of his dead mom. Not that he wants to talk about that.

But then Phillip meets Rebekah. Not only is she unconventionally hot and smart, but she has seriously great boobs. And she might like him back.

As Phillip gets closer to Rebekah, he tries harder and harder to turn himself into the kind of person he thinks she wants him to be. But the question is, can he become that person? And does he really want to? 

Review: Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse sports a long title, but it also has some fun moments that are wholly enjoyable.

On a whole, I enjoyed this book but it was just "meh" in some aspects. This book is over 400 pages long and after the first 200 I knew this was going to be a long read. It does have those fun moments that I said but most of the book is filled with questioning religion and just about everything there is to question.

If you aren't comfortable with religion in books don't be put off by it. I felt that the religion aspect of this book was very real. Phillip doesn't believe anything before he meets Rebekah. He starts going to church with her and trying to be a better Christian for her. I loved that Klauss didn't glorify or condemn Christianity but let Phillip make his own decisions regarding it, like any teen would.

Phillip is just a tad bit weird. I liked him and he had great narration but he just isn't lovable. He gave off all the wrong vibes as a character.

Another thing that I really liked was the writing. Even though the story could get long the writing instantly made up more that. Klauss has a great style that I would love to read again!

Overall, Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse is a decent read that realistically deals with religion.


Rating:

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

Title: The Gathering Storm
Author: Robin Bridges
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Source: Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte!


Summary: St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue. 


An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn. 


The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?


Review: The Gathering Storm is an intense historical read that incorporates many paranormal elements into a fantastic story.


The Gathering Storm has an amazing setting. Russia in 1888? I don't think it gets much better than that. I loved being alongside Katerina as she went to various social events and balls. I totally wish that I lived back then. Bridges makes St. Petersburg come alive with Katerina's voice.


Katerina is an admirable character but she did have her moments. At times she could bug me but I liked her character as a whole. She definitely wasn't afraid to figure out the mysteries that are present in this book. There are quite a few people and quite a few names to keep track of in the book. Once you get used to all the people it isn't confusing anymore.


There are some seriously evil characters in this book. I won't say who they were but they were so easy to dislike. But there is also quite a few lovable side characters, from Katerina's somewhat crazy mother to Grand Duke George. I think I'm partial to the Grand Duke, though. Romance is part of the book but it never  overwhelms the story line.


The only thing that detracts from this story is all the paranormal story lines. The Gathering Storm has a lot going for it in the paranormal department but there is so much of it. I was constantly learning new things and it is more than a little hard to keep things straight. After awhile I just went with it instead of trying to keep up. Then it all started to make sense!


The Gathering Storm is a win on the character and historical setting elements but it could get confusing at times. But, overall, The Gathering Storm is a must read for fans of historical fiction.


Rating:

The Grand Duke....

He's not too shabby for a guy that lived that long ago. His older bother was Nicholas II, who was the last tsar of Russia. Apparently, Grand Duke George died out on his motorcycle with blood coming out of his mouth. Um, OK?! I hope this has no role in the story. My grand duke does not die. Though, during the story he is around 17 and he doesn't die till 28 so I doubt it will come up. 

In My Mailbox (63)

Hi everyone and welcome to In My Mailbox hosted by The Story Siren! The purpose of IMM is share books we got during the week!

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie: I'm not quite sure why I got this book other than I love Agatha Christie. I probably won't have time to read it but I'll try!

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab: I've started the first couple of pages and I'm liking it so far!

Review:

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter-I'm almost done with this one and I'm enjoying it. I don't think that I like it as much as the first one. That could change, though!

Thank you Harlequin Teen Panel!

That's it for me! What did you get this week?

Blog Happenings (53)

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great Saturday afternoon!

READING:

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter-I'm about halfway through this book and I'm really enjoying it.

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab-I've read the first few pages but once Goddess Interrupted came in the mail I went straight to it! 

TO READ:

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Ravenstroke by Augusta Blythe

READ:

The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson-Great fantasy!

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges-This proved to be a fantastic read!

A Million Suns by Beth Revis-AHH! I'm in love with this one!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith-So adorable and cute. A must read!

I've actually got a lot of reading done and while I still have tons to do, I'm feeling a little bit more caught up!

I haven't read Hallowed yet. I would be reading it and probably almost done if I could get it. I called my local bookstore on Tuesday, when it came out. They said: sorry we don't have it. I called again on Thursday and they said: YES! we do. Naturally, I was very excited and went to buy it later that night. I get to the spot where it's supposed to be and they don't have it. I ask around and we look and look and look. They have ten copies that we can't seem to find. They took my name and number and told me they'd call me when they found it. They haven't called. I'm very upset about this! But I've been waiting this long so I guess I can wait another few days. 

Sorry for my long and drawn out story but it sucks when you wait so long and then nothing happens. Hopefully, they'll find it by Tuesday. 

That's it more me today! I'll be back tomorrow to show you what I got in my mailbox this week! 

Have you read any good books this week?

Interview with Resa Nelson

Visiting the blog today is Resa Nelson, author of a couple of books, including The Iron Maiden. Down at the bottom of the post I have some great information about giveaways!

1. Tell us about your book in 2 short sentences.

Book 1 (The Dragonslayer’s Sword) is about Astrid, a female blacksmith who lives in a world of ghosts, shapeshifters, and dragons, and who makes swords for dragonslayers.  In Book 2 (The Iron Maiden) Astrid discovers that a rumor mentioned in Book 1 is real and that a much deeper danger exists in the world beyond her front door.

2. Is there anything in particular that draws you to fantasy, the genre of The Dragonslayer's Sword and The Iron Maiden?

When I was a little girl, I practically lived in the children’s section of the public library.  I loved fairy tales.  That led me to explore folktales.  Because I constantly wanted to read more, more, more, I was thrilled to discover a section in the library with folktales from all over the world.  That led me to mythology.  All of it, eventually, led me to science fiction and then to fantasy.  When I write short stories, I write science fiction, fantasy, and horror, and I often blend one or more of those genres with mystery or historical fiction.  But for some reason I seem to be sticking to fantasy when I write novels.  To me, genres are like crayons.  Some genres feel very limiting to me, like your basic package of 8 crayons in basic, popular colors.  When I was a kid I received a gift of a gigantic array of crayons – there must have been 70 or so.  The range of colors was fantastic!  That’s what writing fantasy feels like to me.  It’s like having a wonderful array of colored crayons at hand, like peach and brick red and silver.  I never know how many colors I’m going to want or need, but I like the idea of having so many at hand.

3.Your main character, Astrid, is very strong and brave in her quests. Is she in anyway based on anyone?

At the risk of having a complete lack of humility, she’s based on me.  (When I create any character, good or bad, I try to tap into some aspect of my personality or to find something within myself that will help me understand someone who’s different than me.)  When I think of Astrid, I think of times in my life when I’ve been terrified to do something and I’ve just pushed my way through the fear to do it anyway.  For example, I love to travel.  When I went on my first trip, I had no one to travel with and felt like such a loser.  I live in the U.S., and I’d always wanted to go to Egypt.  I found a local group to travel with, which meant we met up at the airport and took the same flight.  Taking a shuttle to the airport was one of the scariest things I’d ever done.  I kept thinking that I’d have no one to talk to or eat with during the tour in Egypt.  The only way I could get myself to the airport was to tell myself that if I wanted to change my mind it was OK and that I could always go home.  Of course, as soon as I got to the airport and met up with my group I was fine – and I had an amazing trip and spent time with some really wonderful people.  But I’ve found that every time I push through my fear, there’s less of it the next time.  I think that’s what Astrid does – she pushes through her fear. 

4.When did you first start writing? Have you always wanted to write?

I started writing fiction as soon as I learned how to write.  Before I could write, I was making up stories in my head to entertain myself, so it seemed like the natural thing to do to put them on paper.  By the time I was 8 or 9 years old I knew I wanted to be a writer.

5. What are you working on currently?

A couple of things.  I’m writing the final chapters of the last book (Book 4) in my Dragonslayer series.  I’m also in the planning stages of my next series, which I hope to start writing sometime this year.  The new series will be fantasy, but right now it looks like it’s going to be present-day fantasy…although that could change at any moment!

Thanks so much for letting me stop at your blog!  

Anyone who would like to sample my work for free can download a free “mini” ebook called “Dragonslayer Stories” from my website athttp://www.resanelson.com/files.  No cost, no obligation, nothing to sign up for, no information gathering.  I like giving away samples of my work so you can decide for yourself whether you like it or not.  If you do, you can enter to win a copy of the first two books in my series, which I’ll give away at the end of this tour on Feb. 14.  To enter, just send email to ResaBonusGifts@aol.com – people from all countries are welcome to enter.  (I won’t keep your email address – this just makes it easier for me to keep track of entries.)  I’m also doing a book giveaway on GoodReads (open to U.S. residents only), so you can enter to win there, too.

For a link to the Goodreads giveaway, click HERE.

About Resa:

Resa Nelson has been selling fiction professionally since 1988. She is a longtime member of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) and is a graduate of the Clarion SF Workshop.
Resa was also the TV/Movie Columnist for Realms of Fantasy magazine for 13 years and was a contributor to SCI FI magazine. She has sold over 200 articles to magazines in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Her first novel, The Dragonslayer’s Sword, was nominated for the Nebula Award, the highest honor in science fiction and fantasy. It was also a Finalist for the EPPIE Award. This medieval fantasy novel is based on a short story first published in the premiere issue of Science Fiction Age magazine and ranked 2nd in that magazine's first Readers Top Ten Poll. The Dragonslayer's Sword is Book 1 in a 4-book series. Book 2, The Iron Maiden, was recently published. Book 3 is scheduled for publication in Summer 2012.

Resa's standalone novel, Our Lady of the Absolute, is a fantasy/mystery/thriller about a modern-day society based on ancient Egypt. Midwest Book Review gave this book a 5-star review, calling it "a riveting fantasy, very highly recommended."

In real life, Resa is a fan of chocolate, travel, summer, museums, ballet, movies, and Broadway musicals (her favorites are Les Miserables and Wicked).  She lives in Massachusetts.

Links:

Resa’s website:  http://www.resanelson.com                                                                       

Free “mini” ebook of Dragonslayer short stories:  http://www.resanelson.com/files

Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Resa-Nelson-The-Dragonslayers-Sword/122200661871

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/ResaNelson

My review of both books: The Dragonslayer's Sword and The Iron Maiden. Click the titles for links!

Thanks for stopping by Resa!

The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

Title: The Iron Maiden
Author: Resa Nelson
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC 
Publication Date: December 13, 2011
Source: Author


Summary: Astrid is reluctant to travel the winter route beyond the Northlands, even though it’s her duty. She’d rather stay home in her village, surrounded by friends and neighbors. Ignoring the bonds of tradition, she decides to spend the cold winter months in the warmth of her blacksmithing shop. Why should she leave the comfort of her cottage to serve and protect foreigners who might raid and harm her native Northlands?

Everything changes when a traveling merchant steals Starlight, the first dragonslayer’s sword Astrid forged and her last link to her sweetheart DiStephan. Having no time to alert her friends, Astrid races in pursuit of the merchant, determined to reclaim Starlight as her own and return home in time for dinner. Instead, her quest leads her to new lands, unexpected friendships with foreigners, and a harrowing encounter with the damage done by the followers of a new god that considers women as nothing more than servants to men. All the while, she must be ready to face any dragon traveling the winter route. 

Review: The Iron Maiden is the second book in The Dragonslayer's series and I have to say, I think I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first. 


The thing that I liked the most about this installment was the travel. Astrid and some friends she gathers along the way travel a long way to get their "quests" done. It was so great to see all the different places in the fantasy lands and learn all the different ways people thought. 


Astrid is back and even more likable. For some reason I was able to follow her story a lot easier than before and I just plain enjoyed her character. Astrid also meets a young woman named Margeet who I really enjoyed. She was a strong character and definitely grew a lot through the book. 


The plot could be a little slow and meandering at times but otherwise it was full of action and new developments. 


Overall, I enjoyed this new installment quite a bit. I 'm also quite curious to see where this series goes. So far, it's off to a great start! 


Rating: 3.5 stars

Don't forget to check out the giveaway for the first book on Goodreads! Click HERE. I'll have more information about giveaways tomorrow, along with an interview!

Waiting on Wednesday (66)

Hi everyone and happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to show books we can't wait for!

This week's pick:

The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Córdova
May 1, 2012


When an unnatural riptide sweeps lifeguard Tristan Hart out to sea for three days and then dumps him back on the shore of Coney Island, it’s the start of the Sea Court claiming its own. Suddenly, Tristan’s girlfriend dramas and swimming championship seem like distant worries as he discovers the truth: he’s a Merman. Now Tristan must fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity (if he still wants it), while competing in a race for a throne as ancient as the gods. 

Seductive, duplicitous, and with an agenda of their own, these are not the mermaids you know.


I love that last line: these are not the mermaids you know. I'm always up for a book that involves mermen, mermaids or other creatures of the sea. Plus, we have another male main character! Yay! I'm not a fan of the cover but it'll do. 

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Title: Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Walker & Company
Publication Date: Januaray 17, 2012
Source: Thanks Netgalley and Walker!
Add to your shelf!


Summary: Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine 

—despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it? 

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening? 

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

Review: Fracture is both stunning and intriguing. There's a mix of both light and dark moments in the book but my favorite was the one that occurred most often. The dark. 


Delaney has been under the water for 11 minutes. Just the fact that she could have survived surprised me. There is a little bit of science to Fracture making it more scientific than a paranormal read. This was an aspect that I loved. 


Delaney, herself, is an admirable character. She has been through more than I can even imagine. Her ability is what really drew me to her, though. Delaney definitely wants to do good with it and I admire that. Decker is such a sweet guy! Decker is not perfect in anyway but that just made him even more realistic. Troy, in my mind, is an enigma. He was so dang mysterious and I was constantly trying to figure him out. 


The only thing that I disliked, well I hardly disliked it, was the lack of closure in Delaney's relationships. I think I just wanted a little bit more. 


Lastly, I want to note on the cover. I'm so in love with it. I think that it captures the book perfectly. The snowy forest in the back for a harsh Maine winter, down to Delaney's red jacket. 


Fracture definitely managed to surprise me. The plot and the science involved kept me hooked the entire time. This is the perfect read if you're looking for something new in YA. I know that I'm definitely looking forward to more from Miranda!


Rating: 4.5 stars

Tempest by Julie Cross

Title: Tempest
Author: Julie Cross
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: January 17, 2012
Source: Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin!
Add to your shelf!


Summary: The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Review: Tempest is the ultimate time travel book. 


The time travel  in Tempest is unique to this book. Yet, the time travel aspect of the book left me with so many questions. I devoured everything there was to know about time travel. I can't wait for more information to be revealed in later books. Cross really outdid herself with the time travel. It was pure genius!


In Tempest there's a male narrator. Jackson has one of the most realistic male voices that I have read in along time. There was nothing about him that didn't seem real. He was a great character that grew up a ton during the story, mostly because of time travel misfortunes. Jackson is such a sweetheart, too! 


There are a couple of great supporting characters. From Jackson's girlfriend Holly to his nerdy friend, Adam . I enjoyed both of the characters. They were an amazing addition to the story. 


The plot of Tempest is fast-paced and frankly, stunning. Like I said before, time travel plays a huge role in this book which then leads to a lot of dangerous scenes. Those scenes were action packed and written well. 


The ending of Tempest is emotional, sad and makes you want to read the next installment right away. The ending of Tempest is a little hard to read, just because of some things that happen. Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you!


Tempest surprised me in all aspects. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book but for now a finished copy of this book will have to do!


Rating:

In My Mailbox (62)

Hello everyone and happy Sunday In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren to share books we received during the week!

I decided to do a vlog today! Enjoy!

Books Mentioned:

Netgalley:

Partials by Dan Wells

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Bought:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler 

Pictures, as promised!

Blog Happenings (52)

Hi everyone! So nice to see you on this Saturday!

READING:

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges- I like this one but it has been really hard for me to get into! I'm also very confused by all the characters and what they believe!

I tried reading The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams but it's just a little stupid. I'm going to try to get back to it later.

READ:

Fracture by Megan Miranda- This one was pretty great!

TO READ:

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

I finally got A Million Suns and I'm just dying to read it already! 

I'm in the process of cleaning my bookshelves. I'm not getting rid of any books but I really hate having books on top of books. I need to find a solution! Or maybe I just need to stop buying books. But that is never going to happen, sadly. I guess I have a need to help the economy! :)

In other words, I watched Water for Elephants last night! I thought it was a great movie, mainly because of how well done the circus aspect was. The acting wasn't bad, either! Now I really want to read the book. Rosie, the elephant, was amazing!!

Thanks for reading everyone! I'll see you tomorrow! 

What to Read (13)

Hi everyone! I have not been active in the blogosphere too much this week but that is changing! I have a four day weekend starting today and I hope to get a lot of reading and relaxing done.

What to Read is just a little thing I like to do that features a slew of books from a certain genre. Sometimes I don't exactly do genres, but you get the gist!

Today I'm featuring:

SEQUELS OF 2012!

There are tons of sequels that I'm just dying to get my hands on....

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand-This one come out on the 17 of this month! I just want to read it SO much. I need Tucker! 

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer- This one is already out but I have yet to read it. I've seen such amazing reviews of this one and I just can't wait to read this emotional conclusion to the series.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis-Again, this one is already out, but no one has taken me to the bookstore to buy it. We've had some iffy weather recently, so that is partly the problem but....! I NEED this book. I've heard it is so awesome.

A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young-This one comes out June 26 of this year. I'm in love with A Need so Beautiful! I can't wait to see where Young goes with the series!

  

Fever by Lauren DeStefano-I really liked Wither. I'm so curious to see what happened to Rhine! This one comes out February 21!

Rebel Heart by Moira Young- Apparently this one comes out October 30.....NO! I do not think I can wait that long for Saba and Jack! 

There are so many other sequels coming out this year but these are just a few of my top picks! What sequel are you waiting for?