Top Ten Tuesday #5

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
Top Ten Most Anticipated Books For 2013

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Scarlett by Marissa Meyer

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Just One Day by Gayle Foreman

Asunder by Jodi Meadows

The Program by Suzanne Young

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Anthem for Jackson Dawes by Celia Bryce

Book Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls #1
Finished on: November 22, 2012
Released: August 1st 2009 by Scholastic Press
Source: Owned
Rating: 3/5

Summary from Goodreads:

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

I don't really know how I feel about this one. I was really excited to read Shiver when I first bought it, but I was a little disappointed. I think I was just expecting more. There were moments that I was into the story and moments where I put it down and struggled with picking it up again.

I liked Grace, but I didn't love her. Overall, she was a bit boring. I didn't like Sam at all. He wasn't my type of guy and that mixed with boring Grace made for relationship that I really didn't care about. I wasn't buying the relationship anyway. They were completely devoted to one another, but I never understood why. I know Sam saved Grace when he was a wolf years ago but that's just it: he was a wolf. Grace never even knew he was a human, but the second she finds out she's suddenly head over heels? I like the tough, funny, more "bad boy", "manly man" type male characters. Sam is none of those and I thought it was weird he would randomly have lyrics in his head for everything. I'm sure these characters would and do appeal to many readers, they just aren't my personal cup of tea. Honestly, I was a lot more interested in the secondary characters like Isabel, Olive, and Beck.

Outside the characters, however, I can find no fault. The writing style itself, while sometimes slow, is always clear, intelligent, and descriptive. Maggie Stiefvater can definitely create some beautiful head imagery.  The plot and storyline I found very interesting and because of that I'll eventually read the next installment: Linger. The whole concept of the wolf pack was compelling and I had many questions; That's what got me to finish the story.  I love a good love story though and on that end I was disappointed. Shiver was a lot more entertaining than some other books I've read this year and except for the characters the writing was quite well-done so I will recommend this book. While I didn't go crazy for it, I can see how some other readers would.

Waiting on Wednesday #7

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

I can't wait for...

 This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

This sounds SO interesting and intriguing to me!

You can find book trailers on the author's site here.

Top Ten Tuesday 11.20.12

Top Ten Books/Authors I Am Thankful For

1.) Dr. Seuss- Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish- I can remember carrying these with me everywhere when I was just beginning to read and reading out loud to anyone who would even pretend to listen. I credit these with sparking my love for books.

2.) The Harry Potter Series- Not a very original choice, but I was 7 when the first book was released and 17 when the last one came out. I literally grew up with Harry and his friends. And many friends were made through mutual Harry Potter love.

3.) Gone with the Wind- I watched the movie for the first time in the sixth grade and instantly fell in love. As soon as my grandmother told me that there was also a book version I immediately asked my mother for it. I have read it countless times through the years and I can pretty much guarantee that Scarlett, Rhett, Ashley, and Mellie will never, ever lose their places as my number ones.

4.) Sarah Dessen- My sister gave me a copy of the The Truth About Forever for my 16th birthday. I spent the rest of high school reading every single other Sarah Dessen book I could get my hands on. This Lullaby is currently one of my top favorites. Dessen will continue to always be my go-to for a cute, well-written contemporary.

5.) Danielle Steel- I grew up seeing all the pretty Danielle Steel hardbacks on my grandmother's bookshelves as a child. Unfortunately, I was told for years that I wasn't "old enough" to read them yet. I waited and waited to finally be allowed the privilege and one day I was. My grandmother even picked out certain special ones for me. Danielle Steel gave my summers many, many, hours of reading enjoyment.

 

6.) Twilight- I resisted Twilight so much when it was first released. I was a true-to-life-straight-up-contemporary kind of girl. I would never like vampires. But then when my best friend wouldn't shut up about these stupid books I finally decided to try them. So thank you Stephenie Meyer for introducing me to and gently breaking me into this fantastic world of paranormal.

7.) Janette Oke- According to Goodreads Janette Oke is my most read author with 20 books. My grandmother was also the one to introduce me to her stories. I learned so much about strength, courage, love, faith, and hope through her series and stand-alones alike.

8.) The Little House on the Prairie Series- I'm thankful to the main series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and the many spin-offs that followed. These are the books I devoured through elementary school and did an amazing job of nurturing my love for reading and historical fiction. I can't wait to read these stories to my own children one day.

9.) The Hunger Games- Like Twilight, I'm so thankful for a book that broke me out of my contemporary comfort zone and introduced me to a whole new genre and a whole new world full of fantastic books. Thanks to The Hunger Games I got to move on to Divergent, Delirium, Incarnate, etc. I probably never would have if it weren't for Katniss first. (:

10.) Last, but not least, I am so thankful for Book Bloggers!!! Book blogs introduced me to a whole brand new world of bookish things. I have discovered so many new books and so many new genres that I would have missed otherwise. Book blogs have been the best (or maybe worst?) thing to ever happen to my reading list.

And I'm so thankful for a wonderful boyfriend who understands that going to a library book sale on our anniversary is a perfect day, that I'd rather have a brand new e-reader for Christmas over jewelry, and listens patiently to my crazy, borderline obsessive book tangents.

Book Review: Crash by Nicole Williams

Title: Crash by Nicole Williams
Series: Crash #1
Finished on: November 17, 2012
Released: July 19, 2012 by CreateSpace
Source: Owned/Nook

Summary from Goodreads:

Jude Ryder and Lucy Larson are this generation's Romeo and Juliet: Explosive. Sizzling. Tragic.

A steamy summer encounter with bad boy Jude means trouble for Lucy. Her sights are set on becoming a ballerina, and she won't let anything get in her way . . . except Jude.

He's got a rap sheet, dangerous mood swings, and a name that's been sighed, shouted, and cursed by who knows how many girls.

Jude's a cancer, the kind of guy who's fated to ruin the lives of girls like Lucy—and he tells her so.

But as rumors run rampant and reputations are destroyed, Lucy's not listening to Jude's warning. Is tragedy waiting in the wings? This racy romance is hot, hot, hot!

Two words: Jude Ryder. Review over.

Okay, seriously though, I loved this book! I was completely sucked into this tragic, dysfunctional, passionate, and sweet romance between Lucy and Jude. I began reading and didn't move until I finished the last page just a few hours later. This story had me smiling from ear to ear, laughing out loud, so frustrated, and on the verge of tears, all in the span of 322 pages. I definitely did not go into this expecting to come away loving it this much.

Lucy was a great main character for me. I loved her personality and her dialogue had me laughing so much. I also loved the relationship between Jude and Lucy. Their chemistry was great and believable. Nothing about the relationship or growth of it felt forced to me. In fact, the "normal" parts of their relationship, like when it's not obvious that Jude has many problems, were pretty relatable. I went back and forth with Jude. I began the story really liking him, then not so much for parts in the middle, then really liking him again. The moments where I didn't like him so much were the moments where I didn't fully understand him or his motives yet. Underneath it all, Jude is a very sweet boy capable of loving Lucy very much. Life has just handed him some crappy deals for too long and it's really taken a toll on him. But, I think anyone who has read Crash agrees that by the end life is looking up for him and he truly deserves it.

Crash was a rollercoaster ride if I ever read one. This thing goes up and down and all around so much, but that's what makes it so addicting. That's what kept me in place for hours reading. Sometimes that technique can make a reader dizzy, but Nicole Williams made it work so well. The entire story line was unpredictable for me and I was surprised by the turn of events quite a few times. Crash was an intense read and I can't wait to see where Williams takes Lucy and Jude in the next installment, Clash.

 "The name’s Jude Ryder, since I know you're all but salivating like a rabid dog to know, and I don't do girlfriends, relationships, flowers or regular phone calls. If that works for you, I think we could work out something special."

“How does a guy like you promise someone forever at eighteen?”

“Easy,” he said, pressing a soft kiss into the corner of my mouth. “He finds a girl like you.” 

“You can’t be friends with the person you were meant to spent your life with.” 

Book Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Title: The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
Series: The Forest of Hands and Teeth #2
Finished on: November 16, 2012
Released: March 9, 2010 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: Library e-book


Summary from Goodreads:

Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast--home is all she's ever known and all she needs for happiness.
But life after the Return is never safe.
Gabry's mother thought she left her secrets behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, but like the dead in their world, secrets don't stay buried. And now, Gabry's world is crumbling.
In one reckless moment, half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned.
Now Gabry knows only one thing: if she has any hope of a future, she must face the forest of her mother's past.

Another beautifully written story by Carrie Ryan. I swear, in my opinion, she is a master of plot twists, but in the most excellent way. Throughout this book we see a major theme of "what-if's". "What if I did this" or "What if I didn't do that" or "What if I didn't go there", etc. We see the full impact that one very small decision or moment can have on entire lives. We get an extremely thought-provoking story. Ryan does such a wonderful job crafting the most powerful scenes. And there are plenty of those in The Dead-Tossed Waves.

I actually didn't read the summary before starting this book so I didn't know it was going to be in a different POV from the first book until I began. While I didn't have as deep a connection with this set of characters as I did with the first book's, everyone was still very likable. (Except for Gabry's best friend, Cira, I found her bordering on annoying.) I had a hard time warming up to the relationship between Elias and Gabry only because I thought a certain something was going to be revealed, but later found out I was guessing wrong. I know that's vague, but I'm trying to keep away from spoilers! Gabry goes through such a journey from start to finish and really grows, deepens, and becomes enlightened in the best ways.

If you like books that are full of everyone having secrets and the consequences when they are finally revealed then this is for you! Like I said, plot twists and "Uhm, what!?"'s galore here. This story can also get on the depressing side at times. These characters all start to wonder what the point of anything is. They'll never overcome these Mudo. I can't blame them, though. After all, this is some extremely dark subject matter. Yet, though it all, there's always at least some small message of hope. Gabry finally comes to realize that the fences should only be for keeping the Mudo out, not for keeping people in. There really are a few different messages for any reader to gain from this story.

Honestly, I never saw anything that happened coming. I absolutely adore that in my books! Oh, and so many questions get answered about how and why these villages came to be which was awesome! I'm going to take a break and read a few different books before coming back to the third installment in this series but I'm greatly looking forward to it. And here's to hoping for many more YA novels by Carrie Ryan in the future!

4/5 

(Liked VERY much, but not enough to spend time re-reading)

2013 Debut Author Challenge Goals Post

Click that ^ button to learn more!

Splintered by A.G. Howard
The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard
How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

The Murmurings by Carly Anne West
The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan
Nobody by Us by Kristen Hollbrook

Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross
Begin Again by Sumayyah Daud
Bird by Crystal Chan
After Eden by Helen Douglas (July)
Severed Heads, Broken Hearts by Robyn Schneider
In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

I have a goal of the minimum of 12. This is just SOME of the wonderful debut titles I have seen for 2013 so I'm sure this list will eventually be edited and added to. I am so excited for this challenge!