Sunday, January 16, 2011

Matched by Ally Condie

Series: Matched (Book #1)
Published: December 2nd 2010 by Puffin
Pages: 366
Rating: 3 stars
 
Synopsis:
 
In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.

Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic.
(Goodreads)
 
Review:
 
For me this book was pretty good, I thought the start was pretty slow but about a third of the way things really started to pick up and then I found myself not wanting to put it down. But for me probably the biggest let down for me was the ending... I found that for me it didn't really answer anything for me, but I'm thinking that's because It's going to be a series. But there are some very good things that I found with this book. I loved seeing the difference in relationships between Cassia and Xander and Cassia and Ky. Overall I thought this book was a pretty strong start to a new series and I am really looking foward to the next book.
 
Crossed (Matched #2) due to release November 1st 2011 according to Goodreads 

Sunday, January 9, 2011

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa...

Series: Iron Fey (Book #2)
Published: August 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen
Pages: 359
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

Review:

This book was AMAZING even though I had sky high expectations for it as "The Iron King" was so good. I did also read the in-between short story for this book which was called "Winters Passage" (I will post a link below) which I also thought was really good and even though it is not nessassary to read it I would still highly reccomend you do as it gives you a deeper understanding of the start of "The Iron Daughter" and also reasons behind certain things. The things that happen in this book are really good and the character of Meghan i thought is still really relateable. The storyline in this book I also found to be highly entertaining and there are a lot of unexpected things that happen in this book. Overall this book is definitley a Must-Read and if you haven't picked up "The Iron Fey" series yet, you definitley need to, this series could well be one of the best series you will read all year.

"The Iron Queen" (Iron Fey #3) is set to release February 1st 2011 by Harlequin Teen

"Winters Passage" link: http://www.onread.com/reader/191159

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Top 6 Books I Want To Read In 2011...

These are my top 6 books that I want to read in 2011 (I couldn't only choose 5):

1. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead.(Bloodlines #1)

This book does not have a synopsis yet but these next six books are going to be on Sydney the Alchemist's story. It is going to be based in the human world and at human high school. Also the main male character is a love interest from "Vampire Academy" and apparentley it's unexpected.... But I will update you when I know more about the book.

Due to release August 23rd by Razorbill according to Goodreads











2. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa (Iron Fey #3)

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.
This time, there will be no turning back.

Due to release February 1st by Harlequin Teen according to Goodreads






                                                     
                                                         3. Twisted by Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars #9)
                                                         
                                                         This book doesn't have a synopsis yet but I am still really excited for  this book although, I don't know what will happen because we already know who "A" is and who killed Alison, so I am very interested to see what is going to happen in this book.

Due to release July 5th by Harperteen according to Goodreads



4. Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer (Nightshade #2)

Betrayal, loss, pain, fear. How many trials can love endure and still survive?

that is a very short synopsis and gives away nothing, but the way that Nightshade ended was amazing, and has made this series probably one of my favourite series.

Due to release  July 12th 2011 by Philomel according to Goodreads.







                                                          5. Supernaturally by Kiersten White (Paranormalcy #2)
                                                      
                                                         
                                                          Life's never fair when faeries are involved.
                                                          The sequel to Paranormalcy.
 
I think this book is going to be really good, I thought Paranormalcy was a really good book and I really want to see where White takes all the characters in this book.
 
Due to release September 2011 by HarperTeen according to Goodreads
 
 
6. The Hush, Hush series has captivated readers with the story of Nora Grey, her friend Vee, and a mysterious fallen archangel named Patch. In the gripping conclusion of the trilogy, Nora finds that as things start to unravel around her, she is more drawn to the enigmatic Patch. She soon discovers that the answers lie closer to home than she realized, and it is time for her to take control of her destiny once and for all.

Due to release October 18th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books according to Goodreads 





Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher...

Series: -
Published: August 6th 2009 by Puffin
Pages: 288
Rating: 2 stars

Synopsis:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.
(Goodreads)

Review:

To be honest I think the thing that made this book so dissapointing for me was my high expectations for this book, I had read such good reviews about this book and I was really looking foward to reading it, but when I did I was kind of dissapointed. I didn't relate to the character of Hannah at all, and with the character of Clay I couldn't really relate to him either, but I think part of the reason for that is that I have never known anyone who has committed suicide. But the one thing I did like about this book was the idea of dual narration, I thought that made the story a lot more interesting being able to read Clay's reaction to what was happening on the tapes.

Overall I thought this book was alright, but I would definitley buy it if you have been thinking about buying it, because everyone else in the book blogging world and Goodreads seems to love this book.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Top 10 Best Books Read In 2010....

These are my top ten best books read in 2010:

1. Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules.

She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir Princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardian to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

"Bloodlines" (1st of Sydney's story) due to release August 2011
2. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.


Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way—thin, thinner, thinnest—maybe she'll disappear altogether.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the National Book Award finalist Speak, best-selling author Laurie Halse Anderson explores one girl's chilling descent into the all-consuming vortex of anorexia.



3. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

 Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

"The Iron Daughter" (Iron Fey #2) was released August 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen


4. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

 Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
"Wolfsbane" (Nightshade #2) due to release  July 12th 2011 by Philomel







5. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

 Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.
But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.

"Supernaturally" (Paranormalcy #2) due to release  September 2011 by HarperTeen




                                                        
                                                         
6. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpack

Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but atleast she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Path hadnt been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.

Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperatly searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts

"Tempest" (Hush Hush #3) due to be released October 13, 2011 by  Simon & Schuster Childrens Books



7. Perfect (Pretty Little Liars #3) by Sara Shepard

In a town where gossip thrives like the ivy that clings to its mansions, where mysteries lie behind manicured hedges and skeletons hide in every walk-in closet, four perfect-looking girls aren't nearly as perfect as they seem.
Three years ago, Spencer, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and their best friend Alison were the girls at Rosewood Day School. They clicked through the halls in their Miu Miu flats, tanned in their matching Pucci bikinis, and laughed behind their freshly manicured fingernails. They were the girls everyone loved but secretly hated—especially Alison.
So when Alison mysteriously vanished one night, Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna's grief was tinged with . . . relief. And when Alison's body was later discovered in her own backyard, the girls were forced to unearth some ugly memories of their old friend, too. Could there be more to Alison's death than anyone realizes?
Now someone named A, someone who seems to know everything, is pointing the finger at one of them for Ali's murder. As their secrets get darker and their scandals turn deadly, A is poised to ruin their perfect little lives forever.

"Unbelievable" (Pretty Little Liars #4) was released June 1, 2008 by Harperteen


8. Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

It's a small college town filled with quirky characters. But when the sun goes down, the bad comes out. Because in Morganville, there is an evil that lurks in the darkest shadows - one that will spill out into the bright light of day.
Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. The popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks on the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero. And Claire really doesn't have the right connections - to the undead who run the town.
When Claire heads off campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Hew new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood...

"The Dead Girls' Dance" ( the Morganville Vampires #2) was released April 3rd 2007 by NAL Jam




9. The Last Vampire / Black Blood by Christopher Pike

The Last Vampire:

Sita is five thousand years old and believes she is the last vampire. When someone begins hunting her, she thinks it is the client of a detective she killed. She enrolls in high school and befriends the detective's son, and later falls in love with him.






Meanwhile, Sita's creator Yaksha has been following her, believing he must kill her to atone for his sins. Sita thought she had killed him years before.

Black Blood:

The terrifying sequel to The Last Vampire. Alisa Perne is a 5,000-year-old vampire. She and her partner, Ray, thought they were the last of their breed, but suddenly they are confronted by a series of brutal murders that could only have been caused by others like them.
 
"The Red Dice" (The Last Vampire #3) was originally published May 1st 1995 by Pocket Books  
 
 
 
10. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
 
Her parents' divorce left 17-year-old Veronica Miller embittered and confused. Three years later, "Ronnie" still seethes with anger toward her father, a musician and teacher who has abandoned hectic New York City for the quiet beach town of Wilmington, North Carolina. Nevertheless, she reluctantly agrees to her mother's altruistic plan that for the good of all concerned, she should visit her estranged father in his new home. As the story of The Last Song unfolds, novelist Nicholas Sparks weaves his magic, threading together the intricate story of three very different people tied inextricably together.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa...

Series: Iron Fey (Book #1)
Published: February 1, 2010 by Harlequin Teen
Pages: 363
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:
 
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.
(Goodreads)

Review:

I am very happy to say that I did end up finishing this book in 2010 because it was definitley an amazing book to end the year on. For me this book would be in my top 5 that i've read this year. The way Kagawa has written this book has made it suspenseful and really enjoyable to read. I found myself not wanting to put it down so I read it in about a day. Also I never thought I would really be interested in books with faeries, they just never seemed to appeal to me, but I thought I would give this book a chance as I have heard only good things about this book, and I am so glad I did this has probably become one of my new favourite book series. So you will proably be getting another book review very soon, as i'll probably be buying the next book today, so it should get to me tomorrow (New Zealand has really bad book shops so if you want anything good you always have to buy it off the internet).
But anyway back to the review. The characters in the book are written very well but especially the three main characters of Meghan, Robbie/Puck and Ash. I also found the love triangle in this book made it a whole lot more interesting for me, even though you don't really find out about it until the end. The character of Meghan also made the book for me, as she has so many admireable qualities, for me the two that stood out were courage and her being so caring. Overall I think this book was AMAZING and it should definitley be on your "To-Read" list if it isn't already, you definitley won't be dissapointed.

"The Iron Daughter" (Iron Fey #2) was released August of 2010