Goodreads

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

So today’s topic is:  

I know I’ve used Goodreads (either as a link or as a reference) in almost all of my book reviews. I seriously would not read or know about nearly as many books as I do without the help of this site. The funny thing is that, although the site first started in 2007, I didn’t hear about it until nearly two years later, and I never would have heard of it unless I had interned at a local bookstore. Before this site, I had no real way to keep track of what I had read as well as whether I liked it or not and why I felt that way (I gave up on lists after I reached the fifth page of just books I owned and I hadn’t thought of blogging just yet).

Goodreads also provided me with a way to connect to others that were just as passionate a me about reading, as well as provided me with upcoming releases and other books that I might ike or be interested in. I think that the first time I ever logged into Goodreads I spent something like three hours just looking at and reading all of the different book descriptions and book lists that the site had to offer.  I can still occasionally do that (I know I shouldn’t because my to-read list is quickly approaching 300 on Goodreads, but I just can’t seem to help myself).

Goodreads is an amazing site that I seriously do not know what I would do without. Recently though, Goodreads was acquired/bought by Amazon, and that has a lot of its users in a panic/uproar. Amazon has stated that they have no plans on changing Goodreads, and that they want to use it to expand on their ebooks. Otis Chandler, the founder of Goodreads, has also stated that Goodreads isn’t going to change and is going to remain unique, independent, and run by the same people as before.

Only time can tell what will happen though. For the time being, I am going to stick with Goodreads. But if anything major changes, I won’t hesitate to find a similar site (such as LibraryThing).

If you’re a Goodreads user, comment below and tell me your thoughts in the acquisition. I would love to hear from you.

 

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Photo Credit –> Goodreads logo

Book Review: Freak of Nature

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

 

Time for another book review. I know I’ve mentioned a couple of times before how busy I’ve been, and how I haven’t had as much time to read as I want to and have been going through some serious withdrawal, so you might be wondering then how the  heck I read a whole book in one day when my life is so hectic. the answer is simple. I stayed up until 3 in the morning to finish it, when I had to get up at 7 for work (I do not recommend doing that btw). So, without further ado, here is the review of the books that made me into a zombie for the day.

Book: Freak of Nature

Author: Julia Crane

Genre: YA science fiction

Series: Yes, first in the IFICS series

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

 

Freak of Nature is told from the perspective of Kaitlyn, and occasionally from Lucas. Kaitlyn was involved in a horrible incident that led to her supposed death, but because she had decided to donate her body to science, she’s created into a cyborg. The experiment was meant to leave her with no memories or emotions. Little do the scientists know though, that she does have her emotions, although somewhat muted. She also has a reoccurring dream of someone from her past. She has to keep this hidden though, because if this is revealed, her project might be deemed a failure, and she would be terminated. Hiding her emotions becomes more and more difficult as Kaitlyn finds herself falling for one of the scientists, Lucas.

Now Lucas is a boy genius. He’s in his early 20’s (I can’t remember his exact age) and a brilliant scientist. However, he feels extremely guilty over turning Kaitlyn from the vibrant young woman she used to be into an unemotional cyborg; a science project if you will. It’s because of this that he eventually comes to discover that Kaitlyn can actually feel, and has her own thoughts and emotions. While trying to help Kaitlyn recover her memories, he begins to fall for her.

The book, is about Kaitlyn struggling to come find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds with the help of Lucas, before the time for her runs out.

As you might be able to tell from thew cover picture and my last book review, I’ve been into books about cyborgs recently, so when I saw this book and all the good reviews of it, I was all for it. However, I couldn’t get as drawn into the book, the characters, and the storyline. It’s because of that that I gave the lower rating. I really don’t know why I couldn’t get drawn into it either. the storyline was interesting, the characters were awesome, and the romance between Kaitlyn and Lucas was sweet without being sickening and over the top. I blame it on sleep deprivation.

Comment and tell me what you though of it.

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Photo Credit –> Freak of Nature cover

 

Book Review: Cinder

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

 

Yay! I finally finished the book! It only took me a week (or two) to do it, but it’s done, and now I can move onto Scarlet. Sorry for all the delays in providing this review, but stuff happens, like books we think are gonna be awesome but aren’t (see Touched book review for more details). Finally, before we commence with the review, I just wanted to let you know that the next post (tomorrow’s) will be another book review. This one will be on Freak of Nature by Julia Crane.

 

Book: Cinder

Author: Marissa Meyer

Genre: YA fiction

Series: Yes, first in the Lunar Chronicles

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

Cinder is a retelling of the classic fairytale Cinderella, as you may already know or have guessed. It just has a different take on it. For one, it takes place in the future. For another, there are mutated humans (Lunars) with some serious power of manipulation, cyborgs, and androids. Plus, the earth has been swept by a plague that no one has been able to find a cure for in over a decade. So yeah, it’s not your classic fairytale anymore.

The book is told from the perspective of Cinder, our sixteen year old cyborg protagonist. She’s a mechanic in the city of New Beijing, in the Eastern Commonwealth.Because she is a cyborg, she is looked down upon as a second-class citizen and demeaned by her “stepmother,” forced to bring in the majority of the income, but allowed none of it herself. In and about the community, she is looked down upon and avoided at all costs; treated as less than human. The only one to treat her with love and respect is her younger stepsister, Peony.

Not everything is negative when it comes to being a cyborg though. It has given her the ability to know when someone is lieing, to see though illusions, and to understand and be able to fix almost everything mechanic. It’s because of that last advantage that Cinder is considered to be the best mechanic in New Beijing and approached by the prince of the Eastern Commonwealth, Kai, to fix his personal android.

While working on the android, Cinder becomes friends with Prince Kai and a budding romance is started. Also when working on the android, Cinder comes across information that affects the world as she knows it and can, if withheld, lead to the overtaking of the planet by Lunars. Sharing this information though, will expose her, and could cost Cinder her life. What’s a girl to do?

Okay. Enough description. You want to learn more about the book, read it yourself. In all actuality though, I do recommend you reading it. While the book had its flaws, it was interesting and original, and an overall good read. Ms. Meyer has a way of describing some scenes that you could picture it clearly in your mind, causing you to get lost in this future world that she has created.

Other positives of the book include Cinder, the budding romance, and the setting. Cinder is a kick-butt character. That has sarcastic retorts that had me laughing out loud. Plus, she’s not your typical weak female lead (this is supposed to be Cinderella after all), who goes down without a fight. As for the romance between Cinder and Kai, it wasn’t over-the-top. In fact, it seemed to take a back seat to other elements of the book, which I loved. The romance isn’t immediate or all-consuming. It builds up gradually, like a real-world one would do (for the most part). Finally, the setting, as I mentioned above, was original and detailed enough that you could picture.

Negatives of the book are Cinders occasional freakouts, that either needed to disappear, or be better drawn out. They seemed to be too easily dismissed by her for all the fuss she initially makes. Also, the romance between Cinder and Prince seems to be slow going, and then takes off at hyper-drive to just suddenly stop; a bit confusing if you ask me. But that’s really the only problems I had with it.

Read Cinder for yourself and tell me what you think.

 

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Photo Credit –> Cinder cover

Comic Books

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

 

I know I mentioned in my last post that this time around would be another book review, but I haven’t finished reading Cinder yet. It’s not that it’s bad (it’s not), it’s just that lots of other things have come up so I haven’t had as much time for reading as I would like (insert crying me here).  So instead of that I thought discussing one of my other book loves: comic books (or graphic novels as I prefer to read).

(And let us not forget Vertigo).

You see, my dad loves comic books, and between every two weeks and once a month, he would take my brother and I with him when he went to the comic book store to update his collection. For being patient and (somewhat) well-behaved when he was looking, he would buy us any comic book we wanted (within reason). This got me hooked on comics such as Michael Turner’s Fathom , Witchblade, and some others besides the classics of the Marvel and DC universes of course, as well as lesser known comics (because I was a kid and liked the cool cover).

Nowadays, it’s getting harder and harder to find comic books, especially if you want back issues or don’t know what you want and just want to browse. The last comic book store in town that I know of closed a while back, and so now, I have to rely on the internet or bigger named bookstores to get my fix.  I mean, no offense to the internet, but I love going into a store and being able to see everything they have to offer. I want to be able to pick it up, and see it for myself. Maybe even read a few pages to see if I’m interested. The internet just doesn’t offer that. I might be able to get away with that in bigger name bookstore, but they just don’t offer as wide a variety of comic books or graphic novels that a comic book store would.

This seriously bums me out, because comic books were a big part of my childhood. I mean, I know the back story (and the different dimension spin-off tales) of almost every major superhero from the comics. It’s something I shared with my dad and my brother, and it’s something that draws people together (just look at Comic-Con of you don’t believe me). I don’t want comic books or the experiences you can gain from comic books to disappear.

Comment and share some of your opinions on or memories of comic books I’d love to hear from you.

 

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Photo Credit –> Big name comic book publishers

Book Review: Touched

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

As I mentioned in my last post, I will be reviewing another book this time around. This is probably true for the next one as well (even if I should spend less time reading and more time studying). So without further ado…

 

Book: Touched

Author: Corrine Jackson

Genre: YA fiction

Series: Yes, this is book one in the Senses Thieves series

My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

When I first read the description for Touched on Goodreads, I was seriously excited about the upcoming (okay so it was a few months out) release of this book, so when I saw this book in the bookstore the other day I immediately made it mine and started to read it as soon as I got home even though I was almost done reading Cinder by Melissa Meyer. Sad to say, I was disappointed.

Alright. So Touched is told from the perspective of Remy O’Malley, a seventeen year old who has the ability (or curse) of being able to heal others. This gift comes with a price though, as any injury she heals becomes her own, and she isn’t always able to stop herself from healing people, even if it might mean her death.

The book starts off with Remy being seriously abused by her step-daddy, a serious nutso named Dean. This beating lands her in the hospital as well as a surprise visit from her bio-dad, whom she hasn’t seen in years. Upon learning about the abuse she goes through on a regular basis with no interference by Remy’s mom, Ben (Remy’s bio-dad) has her move in with him and his family in Maine.

It’s there that she finally starts to find a home and a safe place (or so she thinks). This is also where she meets Asher Blackwell, who seems to know more about her abilities than she does. And it’s with his help that she learns more about her abilities and what it means to be a Healer. He also helps confronts an old enemy that is out to kill her and all she cares for.

That description has you intrigued right? I know it had me interested, a I mentioned before. You’re probably wondering then, why I’m giving this book such a low rating. The premise and concept of the book is what kept me reading until the end and why the rating isn’t lower. What had me giving the book a rating of 2.5 stars out of 5 was the relationship between Remy and Asher as well as some other minor details.

The relationship and those minor details I said are the cause all resemble that of Edward and Bella from Twilight. The resemblance is remarkable in fact. I mean a bad-boy who is more than he seems who constantly says he’s bad for the girl and yet can’t keep away, even going to far to show up unexpectedly in her yard at night underneath her window. Then there’s the girl. She sees nothing wrong with this behavior and instead seems to encourage it. That’s not to mention the woods as a main setting and someone out to get the poor girl who must be protected.

I may be too harsh and exaggerating a bit, but it’s still way too similar for my taste. With that said, I still want you guys to read it for yourself (maybe get it from your local library though). Some reviewers out there disagree with me and I want to hear your opinions of the book.

 

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Photo Credit –> Touched cover

Book Review: Take a Bow

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

So today (or tonight as you may prefer), I’ll be reviewing Take a Bow. I’ll also be reviewing another book either tomorrow or on Monday, so keep your eye out for that. Happy Reading!

Book: Take a Bow

Author: Elizabeth Eulberg

Genre: YA Fiction

Series: No

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Lately, I’ve been really into books about music. I don’t rightly know why, but I have been, so when I came across this in the bookstore, I thought to myself, “Why not? It sounds interesting.” And so here we are.

Take a Bow is told from the perspective of four different students, Emme, Sophie, Carter, and Ethan, with each chapter being told from a different person. Each of these people are students in high school in New York City at CPA, which stands for Creative and Performing Arts.

Emme is an amazing songwriter and even singer, but she is constantly in the shadow of her (supposed) best friend Sophie. She just wants to become a songwriter, but is later pushed to become all that she can be by Ethan. In her chapters, you see her develop from a shy young thing that doesn’t seem to believe in herself much, to a strong-willed young woman who goes after he dreams and who won’t back down.

Sophie wants to be a star and has a plan all mapped out of how to go about becoming one. She wants to be one so bad, that she’s not above using her friend Emme of pf trophy boyfriend,Carter. In her chapters, you see that pride, ego, and using people only gets you so far, without having talent and drive to really work at it.

Carter is a former child star who wants nothing more than to be normal. In his chapters, you see how fame can affect one’s life. You also see how he ccomes to terms with himself and his life and then begins to take control of it; to make it into something that he wants, instead of what he believes his mom and everyone else wants. You see him come to learn that life is more than just trying to please everyone around you.

Ethan has amazing talent. He sings and writes awesome songs, but he’s a bit of a tormented soul. He’s been scarred before and because of that has become someone of a player. He’s ruined every relationship he’s ever had and used that to write songs. The only real constant in his life is Emme, who is one of his best friends. In his chapters, you see him push Emme to step out of the shadows and be who she was meant to be. You also se him come to terms with the darkness in his own life and find happiness, both in his music and  his love life.

So, overall this was a good book. It had some important messages for young adults, and presented them in such a way that you as a reader could relate to. It’s a light read, easily done in one sitting (as long as you have an hour or two free) and leaves you feeling good. That’s probably why I gave it a three star rating. I wanted to see more, I don’t know, depth and darkness in the book, especially from Ethan. I. That doesn’t mean I don’t like it or think it’s a waste of time. It’s not. It’s actually a really good story, especially when you take into account that it’s told from the POV of four people. All of which you learn the thoughts and feelings of. This might sometimes be considered to much or overwhelming, but Ms. Eulberg writes in such a way that everything flows together perfectly and doesn’t create information overload for the reader.

So on that note, go out and read it yourself. It won’t take too long and you’re bound to enjoy it.

P.S.  If you like this book (you know the whole empowering kind of thing), check out Ms. Eulberg’s new book Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality.

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Photo Credit –> Take a Bow

The Host: Book vs. Movie

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

So, tonight, I went and saw the movie The Host and I thought, “Hey, wouldn’t it be a cool idea to compare the movie to the book?” And  before you say anything, yes, I know the movie rarely lives up to the book, but I have to tell you, this was actually pretty well done. Oh, and just so you’re forewarned, I won’t be really providing a description here of what it’s about like I usually do, but I will provide a link to one. First up, the book.

 I have to tell you, at first, I was really wary of reading this book. I mean, I admit that I read Stephenie Meyer‘s Twilight saga, but honestly, I was not impressed (yet I read all of them trying to see what all the fuss was about). So when I heard that she has written another book,this time a sci-fi book, I planned on avoiding it, especially when it became popular like her other books had been.

Eventually I did give into peer pressure (or I wouldn’t be writing this) and I’m glad I did. Yes, the book did have some of the cheesy lines that any guy I know would not be caught dead uttering, situations where you’re thinking to yourself “yeah right” or “what the hell” (and not in a good, twisted plot kind of way), and of course Meyer’s ever-present love triangle was in full effect, but I still liked it. The concept was awesome and unique (or at least I think so), the character’s seemed real, with both flaws and strengths that make humans, well, human. It was written really well, and drew you into the world that Meyer’s had created, while at the same time creating vivid scenes and pictures for you.

So it was with some trepidation, that I went and saw the movie tonight. I was seriously worried that they (the producers, actors, whoever) would ruin or not be able to fully express all that the book had to offer and all that I loved about it.

Overall though, that didn’t happen and they did a good job of portraying all the main parts of the book that made it so good. Now, I’m not saying the movie is as good as the book. Of course it’s not. It is still good though.

Yes, I wish that they had tried to show us the different worlds that Wanderer (or Wanda as you may prefer) lived on in the past, but it wasn’t necessary to get the storyline across (it just would’ve been wicked to see). I also wanted to see more of the initial tension and suspicion that was so prominent in the book when Wanderer first came to be with the humans, as well as how that was gradually overcome. It’s hinted at in the movie, but once again, not a main focus of it.

The main thing that makes me think they did a good job with the movie is how the showed the interactions, conversations, and evolution of the relationship between Mel and Wanderer. I felt that this was really well done, and what made the movie.

I’ll leave you with that last opinion, but I’d love for you to go and see the movie yourself and tell me how the it lived up to your expectations.

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Photo Credit —> The Host book cover – The Host movie poster

Book Review: Doomed

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

Time for another review! Now I know you can’t really guess this from the past books I’ve reviewed, but I absolutely love dystopian novels right now. i am so happy that they’re becoming somewhat of a fad right now. So with that in mind, time to review one of the newest YA dystopian books.

Book: Doomed

Author: Tracy Deebs

Genre: YA fiction, sci-fi, dystopia

Series: Yes, 1st book in the Pandora Books series

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

So the tagline of Doomed is Beat the game. Save the world. And that is exactly what Pandora, the main (chick) protagonist of the book has to do alongside her classmates Eli and Theo, the incredibly sexy new-ish guys at school that just happen to be stepbrothers.The gane that has to be beat is an MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game) called Pandora’s Box. The game is set in the future where the world is in ruin thanks to how we’ve treated it.

The games as been altered by the same man who created a worm/computer virus that took down pretty much everything electronic across the world: the internet, cell phones, lights, traffic signals, everything. This same man unleashed the virus by hiding them within 12 pictures that he had his daughter, Pandora, unknowingly open. These pictures, along with letters, were sent to Pandora on her seventeenth birthday after 10-12 years off being absent. These pictures are the clues to winning the game and saving the world.

There quest to beat the game takes them on a road trip across the country. Where the trio is chased by “alphabet soup” (i.e. every security department acronym in the country such as the FBI). And all this has to be done before the world goes up in nuclear flames at the end of the countdown of ten days.

So I’ll leave you guys with that in regard to the description. I don’t want to give too much away. I loved the idea and the plot of this book. I mean first of all, it’s a dystopia novel. But it’s also more than that. It has Greek mythology weaved within in it in a very awesome way. The characters, while they could use some more development, are (somewhat) real with flaws and strengths. I say somewhat because, come on, guys like Eli and Theo, totally not real, and especially not in high school. It also brings up environmental issues, but in such a way that you’re not pressured to believe one way or another. It’s not trying to persuade you to believe as they (the author) do. And finally, the romance (you knew there was going to be one with a chick and two guys as the main characters) is pretty well done. As with the characters, it could use more development, but I feel it was a nice add-on to the main focus, which was Pandora, Eli, and Theo saving the world.

My only concern with the book is that while I was looking into the author, I found out that the book is actually one in a series. With the way it ended, I don’t see how it can really continue on with the same level of excitement and adventure.

I’ll leave you guys now, and ask you to read the book for yourself, and then tell me what you thought of it.

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Photo Credit — Doomed

Why I Love Reading

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

From the picture, you might guess what today’s post is about. A while ago, I wrote about my first real memory of reading. In it though, I don’t think I truly made it clear why I love reading so very much. I feel like it’s time to rectify that. My love of reading doesn’t just come from the fact that it’s something my parent’s fostered with me, or the fact that visiting the library weekly became something of a family tradition. It’s something deeper than that. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “I cannot live without books.”

Now, I know you might not think I’m being serious, but I am. For me, books are my one true pleasure in life. I could not survive without reading. When I come home from a stressful day, have a fight with a friend or a family member, or just whatever, I can pick up a book and that will all just disappear.

Reading comforts me. It gives me something to look forward to. Reading broadens my mind and gives me something new and different to think about. It brings back memories of childhood and carefree times. Reading can give me new perspective on life or let me see things in  a whole different light. It draws emotions from me and makes me feel things I never though possible from just black ink on paper (admit it, a few books have brought you to tears before or have made you laugh out loud like they’ve done to me).  I think I would go crazy if I couldn’t read; it truly is that big a part of my life.

You may be thinking, “Wow, that’s one obsessed lady,” and you may be right, or, you may not have found something you’re as truly passionate about as I am about reading. I think Nora Ephron sums up my feelings best when she said,

“Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later on . . . Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it’s a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real. Reading is grist. Reading is bliss.”

Comment below telling me why you love reading.

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Photo Credit — I ❤ Reading

Review: Dosterra

 

Hey Fellow Book-Lovers,

 

In Monday’s post, I told you guys that I would be reviewing Dosterra today, so here it is.

Book: Dosterra (Click the link to read chapter 1)

Author: K. Esta

Genre: Dystopian Sci-Fi

Series: Yes, in a manner of speaking. It’s a serial novel on the website JukePop Serials (Chapters 1-7 are up)

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars (based on the first 3 chapters)

Alright, well first off, let’s start off with a quick synopsis of the novel:

“Dosterra is a wintry planet, With a monopoly on natural resources and transition technology, it is the undisputed leader of the Earth Origin Colonies. But Lexie has stumbled across something that threatens their dominance. What if their power was built on a lie? On the run, she’s forced to seek the help of Iden, a scientist with the Transition Regulation entre, though his motives for helping her are unclear.”

Now, I’m not new to sci-fi books, but the first chapter was hard going. A lot of technical terms and scientific concepts  were thrown at you, so, in order to understand it, you had to really concentrate. However, that being said, Esta does a wonderful job of explaining them all, and in such a way that you not only understand them, but can picture what is being described fairly well. Aside from the pretty awesome descriptions, I loved the banter between the characters. The sarcastic remarks and ramblings of Tem had me smiling, as well as some of Lexie’s quips.

Now for some criticism. The writing is a little stilted at times. I don’t know if it’s because of all the new concepts being introduced or because of how detailed the descriptions are, but it comes across as a little stiff. I love the flow of the conversations though. They move the story along really well. The flashbacks are also well done, at placed fairly well in my opinion. They add depth to the characters, drawing the readers into the story. There are a few grammar and spelling errors, but, as far as I can tell, there aren’t too many of them so they don’t take away from the overall novel or draw you out of the story.

Overall, I would recommend this series to other readers. The plot is interesting and the characters are well-developed and help to draw you in. My one complaint (if you can call it that), is that I’m not seeing the dystopian factor so much as just sci-fi. Maybe it becomes more prominent in later chapters, or I’m just used to it being a larger focus in dystopia novels (I recently read Pure by Julianna Baggott, so this might be it). However, that doesn’t take away from the story itself.

So, head over to the site using the link provided at the beginning of the review, and check out Dosterra for yourself. If you’d like, you can then comment below and tell me what you think and if your thoughts line up with mine.

Photo Credit — Dosterra