What Team Are You? : The Firelight Trilogy by Sophie Jordan

If this works out, I'll basically just post a book series every week and have people vote on what team they are. I know the YA Sisterhood does the YA Crush Tournament, but I just want to find out how much you guys like one love interest over another, in one series.

Last week's poll was over Team Shay or Team Ren from Andrea Cremer's Nightshade series. Team Ren won (by 1 vote)!

So for this edition of “What Team Are You?” I’m going to ask you who your pick of hunky man-flesh is from the Firelight trilogy by Sophie Jordan. 

You can choose from:

1)      Will

or 2) Cassian

I’m Team Will, basically because he’s a) sweet, b) hot, and c) just plain wonderful. If you had to choose one, who would it be, and why? If you haven’t read the series (and why haven’t you?), who do you think sounds more appealing from the Firelight summary below.

A hidden truth.

Mortal enemies.

Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki, a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away;if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Which Team Are You?

Team Will

Team Cassian

Poll Maker

Dean Winchester Friday

Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) Fridays. These days make me really happy. You'll see why when you look at the picture. 

Yummy.

How to Care For Your Books - Tea Time Video

I was going to post a book trailer today, but I saw this video in my feed and I realized it might be useful to some of my followers. So welcome, the lovely ladies of Tea Time!

Waiting on Wednesday: Redeemed

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Redeemed

P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

(House of Night #12)

Publication Date: January 6, 2015

Hardcover, 320 pages, St. Martin’s Griffin

Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

In the final electrifying novel in the HoN series, Neferet has finally made herself known to mortals. A Dark Goddess is loose on Tulsa and the world. No single vampyre is strong enough to vanquish her - unless that creature has the power to summon the elements as well as the ability to wield Old Magick. Only Zoey Redbird is heir to such power…but because of the consequences of using Old Magick, she is unable to help. Find out who will win and who will lose in this epic battle of Light versus Darkness.

My Thoughts

This is book two hundred and twenty-five in the series, right? I still haven’t even read #11. I don’t even own it yet. Ugh. I need to finish this series. And then I will probably never pick up another book by P.C. Cast. I just don’t have enough money to keep buying her never-ending series.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Review: The Fountain of the Earth by H.L. LeRoy

The Fountain of the Earth

H.L. LeRoy

Publication Date: November 2013

Paperback, 272 pages, Tranquille Press

Genres: YA, Dystopian

Amazon | Goodreads

Terra Vonn is fighting to survive in a destroyed world,

surrounded by unspeakable horror . . .

and things are about to get much worse.

After witnessing the horrific murder of her mother, fifteen-year-old Terra Vonn has a singular focus—exacting revenge on the killers. But before she can complete her plan, savagery intervenes, and she is cast alone into a brutal post-apocalyptic world. As she trails the murderers south—through a land filled with cannibalistic criminals, slave traders, and lunatics—the hunter becomes the hunted. Terra quickly learns that she is not as tough or as brave as she thought she was. Worse, she may be the only one who stands between what little remains of civilization and destruction.

My Review

This book is girl power at its core. The Fountain of the Earth provides readers with an action-packed deliverance of justice in less than 300 pages.

I knew this book was going to be good going in. Why? Well, one, because I’d read the synopsis, and it sounded brutal, thrilling, and right up my alley all at the same time. And two, because of its super amazing cover art. Seriously, any book with a cover that cool has to have some sweet stuff located between its cover.

It starts out in a village run entirely by men, and Terra’s expected to be sold into marriage to one of them. And of course, since this is a YA book, Terra’s not going to let that happen. Let me tell you, this character has a lot of determination in her. She doesn’t let all of the threats and stupid people stop her from being self-sufficient. It was fantastic.

Later on in the story, things get a little repetitive, but still good. There’s a lot of information on how Terra’s journey is going, and how well she’s hunting. To me, some of those scenes could have been cut back a little bit. There could have also been a wee bit more detail throughout the book. It was still completely enjoyable, though. If I hadn’t have had class, I would have flown through this thing in a day. Stupid tech writing classes. Always ruining my fun.

The plot of the book was very action-packed. It also wasn’t a clear cut path. I had no idea what was going to happen to Terra and when. However, sometimes some things that happened to her and her friends were a little too convenient. But man, did she manage to seriously kick some booty.

The other characters in the book were just as enjoyable as Terra. Excluding the bad guys. Those idiots just needed to have happen what happened to them at the end of this book. Becca made me want to cry, but she stayed strong. Beth was like an Amazon warrior princess. And the boys of the story were all like, “Heck yes, that’s my woman saving my butt.” And I loved it.

All in all, The Fountain of the Earth is a solidly good read. It’s quick, fun and has some majorly kick-ass female characters. If you’re looking for a new Katniss or Tris, Terra might just be the girl for you. 

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

THE JEWEL by Amy Ewing – Book Trailer

What Team Are You? : Nightshade Series by Andrea Cremer

If this works out, I'll basically just post a book series every week and have people vote on what team they are. I know the YA Sisterhood does the YA Crush Tournament, but I just want to find out how much you guys like one love interest over another, in one particular series.

Last week’s poll was over Team Tucker or Team Christian from the Unearthly trilogy. Team Tucker won by 12 votes!

So for this second edition of “What Team Are You?” I’m going to ask you who your pick of hunky man-flesh is from the Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer.

You can choose from:

1)      Shay

or 2) Ren

I’m Team Ren because he’s a) brooding, b) dark, c) tortured, d) so very hawt. If you had to choose one, who would it be, and why? If you haven’t read the series, who do you think sounds more appealing from the Nightshade summary below.

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?

Which team are you?

Team Shay

Team Ren

Poll Maker

Review: Dissonance by Erica O'Rourke

Dissonance

Erica O’Rourke

(Dissonance #1)

Publication Date: July 22, 2014

Hardcover, 496 pages, Simon and Schuster

Genres: YA, Sci-Fi

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

Delancy Sullivan has always known there’s more to reality than what people see. Every time someone makes a choice, a new, parallel world branches off from the existing one. Eating breakfast or skipping it, turning left instead of right, sneaking out instead of staying in bed ~ all of these choices create an alternate universe in which an echo self takes the road not travelled and makes the opposite decision. As a Walker, someone who can navigate between these worlds, Del’s job is to keep all of the dimensions in harmony.

Normally, Del can hear the dissonant frequency that each world emits as clear as a bell. But when a training session in an off-key world goes horribly wrong, she is forbidden from Walking by the Council. But Del’s not big on following the rules and she secretly starts to investigate these other worlds. Something strange is connecting them and it’s not just her random encounters with echo versions of the guy she likes, Simon Lane.

But Del’s decisions have unimaginable consequences and, as she begins to fall for the Echo Simons in each world, she draws closer to a truth that the Council of Walkers is trying to hide ~ a secret that threatens the fate of the entire multiverse.

My Review

I’m going to start off by saying that I’m not really sure about this book… like at all. It was kind of strange. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for it or something. I honestly have no idea.

The story started out waaaaaay too fast. I was thrown into a world of pivots and other jargon that I had no idea what to do with. This continued throughout the entire book. There were even little paragraphs of info on the words, but I still couldn’t picture what was happening in the alternate-reality verse. It felt like there needed to be another book before this one.

And although those parts were too fast, the entire book went by really slow. It’s almost 500 pages, and it seriously didn’t need to be. There wasn’t a lot happening plot-wise. This also fed into the characters’ relationships. The love relationship didn’t make any sense to me. It popped into being.

I also somehow managed to not care at all about the main character. Del wasn’t relatable. She was supposed to be some sort of rebel, but really she just came across as whiny. And her sister seemed a little too mean, for no reason.

All in all, this book just wasn’t for me. There was an interesting plot, and a promising story arc, it just failed to deliver.

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way altered my opinion/review.

Dean Winchester Friday

I had no idea what to post today. So I've decided to just do Dean Winchester (or Jensen Ackles) Fridays. And it's my birthday. So this is a Happy Birthday to me!!!

Ah. Maze. Ing.

Favorite YA Quotes

I'm not a huge fan of quotes. I mean, I love the written language and all that it can express, I'm just not the type of person to highlight, or post-it my favorite passages. But, I ran out of post ideas, so I thought I'd share some of my favorites, in no particular order.

“Logan Quinn was the kind of guy who could stab me in the eye with a freaking Twizzler.” –

Jennifer Estep, Touch of Frost

“You know,” Cole said. “My mom once told me a boy would know he’d become a man when he stopped putting himself first. She said a girl would come along and I wouldn’t be able to get her out of my mind. She said this girl would frustrate me, confuse me, and challenge me, but she would also make me do whatever was necessary to be a better man–the man she needed. With you, I want to be better. I want to be what you need. Tell me what you need.” – Gena Showalter, Through the Zombie Glass

“Underneath this veneer of slightly crazy and mildly socially retarded, I'm a complete disaster.” – Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

“Just... isn't giving up allowed sometimes? Isn't it okay to say, ‘This really hurts, so I’m going to stop trying’?”

“It sets a dangerous precedent.”

“For avoiding pain?”

“For avoiding life.” 

– Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

“Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy,” Wren said. “It’s the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for.” – Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

“You’ve read the books?”

“I’ve seen the movies.”

Cath rolled her eyes so hard, it hurt. (Actually.) (Maybe because she was still on the edge of tears. On the edge, period.) “So you haven’t read the books.”

“I’m not really a book person.”

“That might be the most idiotic thing you’ve ever said to me.”

 – Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

“To really be a nerd, she'd decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one.” – Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

“I feel like Cinderella sitting in the middle of the road with a pumpkin and a couple of mice, while Prince Charming charges off to rescue some other chick.” – Cynthia Hand, Unearthly

“Love is a beautiful but terrible thing," he said. "You have to be careful with it. It can destroy you.” – Courtney Allison Moulton, Angelfire