Pub. Date: February 2008

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Format: Paperback , 512pp

Sales Rank: 11,800

Age Range: Young Adult

Series: Mortal Instruments Series #1

ISBN-13: 9781416955078

ISBN: 1416955070

Synopsis:     When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
     This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

     My Thoughts: If your trying to decide to read this series or not...don't wait! Trust me! The first 17 chapters, I cant lie, I was feeling like I was walking through sludge. It starts off in the middle of a night out on the town without really explaining much.WARNING!!!... After you understand what's going on, you won't be able to stop. All types of events start to happen in Clary's life which will have no choice but to lure you in with her! its not crazy-busy but also leaves no room for you to get bored...the perfect mix. Every-time there wasn't action or almost unbearable suspense, I was soaked up in the lust and romance of Jace and Clary. although it is written in 3rd person, it's so easy to become the characters and be overwhelmed with their intense emotion. It's sad for me to admit, and I probably would have beat myself up for even thinking this before i read this series, but the Mortal Instruments Series goes hand in hand with the Twilight Saga...or probably even better. this is definitely for people who fell in love with Twilight and just can't seem to find a good enough book to fill its spot.

     I plan on reading the rest of the series, I hope that the rest of the books in the series aren't so freaking slow. Over all I give this book a 3 of 5 stars. 

Happy Reading,

Jaime 

November 29, 2011

December 6, 2011

November 15, 2011

December 8, 2011

November 14, 2011

I am looking forward to reading each of this. What are you looking forward to reading in the coming weeks and months?

Happy Reading,

Jaime

As the Book Blogging Code dictates; Memes are fun and should you not post any then you suck. (OK we totally made that up but someone should really come up with a book blogging code! How awesome would that BE!?)
All ridiculousness aside we've decided to take part in the AWESOME Meme: Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by The awesome Jill at Breaking The Spine, where we share books we are most anxious to be be released. Without Further ado, Our first ever WoW!

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by 

Breaking The Spine

This Wednesday, Jaime and Melina are anxiously waiting on...

Truth (XVI #2) by Julia Karr

Nina Oberon’s life has changed enormously in the last few months. When her mother was killed, Nina discovered the truth about her father, the leader of the Resistance. And now she sports the same Governing Council–ordered tattoo of XVI on her wrist that all sixteen-year-old girls have. The one that announces to the world that she is easy prey to predators. But Nina won’t be anyone’s stereotype. And when she joins an organization of girls working within the Resistance, she knows that they can put an end to one of the most terrifying secret programs the GC has ever conceived. Because the truth always comes out...and the consequences can be deadly

Now neither of us has read XVI as of yet but OH BOY! are we ever trying hard to get to that one! 

What are YOU waiting for? Post your links below we'd love to see what you are Waiting on!

My top ten books to read are:

1. Iron Daughter by: Julie Kagawa
2. Iron Queen by: Julie Kagawa
3. Iron Prince by: Julie Kagawa
4. The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins
5. Game of Thrones by: George R.R. Martin
6. Across the Universe by: Beth Revis
7. Silence by: Becca Fitzpatrick
8. Incarceron by: Catherine Fisher
9. Clarity by: Kim Harrington
10. Deadly Cool by: Gemma Halliday

I can not wait for these books. I have heard so many great reviews from other bloggers that I am totally excited to read each and every one of them. I will be posting reviews for each one as I read them. If you have any suggestions for books to add to my must read pile please let me know!

What's your top ten?

Happy Reading,

Jaime

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. (Barnes and Noble)

• Pub. Date: February 2010
• Publisher: Harlequin
• Format: Paperback , 368pp
• Age Range: Young Adult

• Series: Iron Fey Series #1
• ISBN-13: 9780373210084
• ISBN: 0373210086

     Meghan Chase is an awesome character. I love how loyal, independent, and trusting she is (although that gets her into some sticky situations throughout the book). Julie Kagawa did an amazing job at developing Meghan's character through the whole book. 

     Julie Kagawa's ability to make you feel like you are literally in the shoes of Meghan chase is amazing. Throughout the whole book I felt like I could see what Meghan saw and could feel everything that Meghan felt (anger, happiness, sorrow, worry, and so much more). 

     Over all this book is amazing and if you haven't read it I advise you to do so. I plan on reading the rest of the series and reviewing those as well. Julie Kagawa is an amazing writer. The best part of the book was the reference to the Shakespearean play " A Midsummer's Night Dream". That is by far my favorite Shakespearean play of all time. Julie Kagawa is my all-time favorite author.

I give this book a 10/10 rating 

*I do have to give a warning though there is some cursing in the book so please be advised of that*

Top Ten Tuesdays: Ten Books I've Read That Were Outside my Comfort Zone


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish . At this link you can find all past and future TTT.


Most of my books read out of my comfort Zone were in french so I'll do 5 that I have read and 5 I plan to read. Cool?


Top 5 books I've read Outside my comfort zone:

1. Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes by Thomas W. Cathcart, Daniel M. Klein: This book I read because my mom wanted me to start reading non-fiction. She thought I wasn't exercising my mind enough with YA. PHOO-EE! I say. But this was pretty good. I now enjoy reading philosophy!
2. You Suck! by Christopher Moore: Still to this day no book has made me laugh out loud (at work nonetheless) more than this one! I bought it without knowing that this was the second in a series so I now have to read the first and third in the series.
3. Clan of The Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel: I was 12 when I first started the series (in french) and it's an ultimate must read in my book. I'm still Ticked off that there isn't another book.
4. The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho: I'm not religious but this book was indeed insipring. I think I was 9 or 10 when I read this. (Thanks to my mom)
5. Animal Farm by George Orwell: I read this in school along with Lord of The Flies (ugh) and this was the only high school book I didn't hate reading.

Top 5 Books I plan To read that are out of my comfort zone:

These are almost all PNR so bear with me.

1. Dark Lover by J.R. Ward: That's right I am getting into this series. I hope I will enjoy this.
2. Ecstasy in Darkness by Gena Showalter: More PNR
3. Dark Fever by Karen Marie Moning: Yup, I'm getting that fan-wagon to!
4. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan: I always shunned Middle grade books and now i am ridding myself of such prejudices. I WANT ADVENTURE!
5. The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan: See above mention.

I hope you guys enjoy it!


This post can also be found at http://prettyniftyyareader.blogspot.com/

Who likes The Hunger Games? Just about everyone right!? Here's a little something to satisfy your impatience for the release of the movie in March 2012!

A new photo from 'The Hunger Games' movie shows Jennifer Lawrence in action as Katniss Everdeen.

Will YOU be seeing the movie??

Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

"I don't need turkey, just an acknowledgement that today is important. No one is out there."

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just pick up your current read. Turn to a random page and pick a couple of sentences off the page. Make sure you don’t include any spoilers! Share it in the comments.

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author, too, so that others can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

                                              Happy Reading,

                       

                                                        Jaime 

Well we decided we'd have a Monthly Team Read and this month we chose:

We know most YA readers have read this already but we decided to hop on the Cassandra Clare Fan-Wagon!

We'll post Team Reads updates we read along and eventually we will get YOU guys in to help chose our next Team Read. Whoever wants to participate is welcome to. Post suggestions in the comments below and we will make a poll for all to vote.

We hope to have a lot of readers who'll participate so we can make this UBER fun!

Happy Reading,

Jaime and Melina

Evernight by Claudia Gray
(Evernight #1)
Published: February 10th 2009 by HarperTeen(first published May 1st 2008)
Pages: 327
Source: Bought myself
Shelfability: To read/Borrow
Rating: 3.5 Stars


From Goodreads:


Bianca wants to escape. 


She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in. 


Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him. 


"I couldn't stand it if they took it out on you," he tells Bianca, "and eventually they would." 


But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed






My review


I have such differing opinions about this book. When I first started the book I was intrigued, Then annoyed, then shocked, then annoyed again! Bianca first came across as your typical teenager dealing with typical teenage angst. Then she got whiny and kind of pathetic. I get what love at first sight is, I've experienced it. But I never thought, like Bianca did at one point: *open sarcams*"Oh, there was a spark here. I guess we are dating."*end sarcasm* . And then there was kind of an explanation for why that was but it was still slightly infuriating.
Then I got hit in the head with a baseball bat of a twist. I actually closed the book and yelled "What the HELL!?" that's how intense it was. And then a few pages after that and "HOLY CRAP!" There's another one! I was thrown for a loop twice in a matter of a few pages. I still don't know if I liked it or not. 
Bianca came across as very whiny but overall the book was good enough for me to want to keep reading the series and that is a good thing.

Things I liked:

• The story
• The setting- I love the eerie-ness of Evernight Academy
• all the mysteries surrounding Evernight, Mrs. Bethany and Black Cross

Things I didn't like:

• The insta-love. In this book it wasn't very smooth. Kind of annoying.
• How whiny Bianca got... UGH!
• The dramatic (downwards) transformation Lucas went through from the first half of the book (hot and in control) to the second (sad and sappy)

Favorite Character: Patrice/Bianca

Least Favorite Character: Mrs. Bethany/Bianca

That is my Library Loot. What did you get at the library this week?



                                        Happy Reading,

                                                  Jaime

Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Title: Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls #1) 
Author: C.C. Hunter
Published: March 29th 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 416

Source: Bought it myself 

From Goodreads:
One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever.  Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.”  Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.
Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either.  Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason.  As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas.  Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past.  Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

My Review:

Well this was a good read! I have to admit at first I wasn't sold on it. Had it been a stand-alone it would have sucked. But it's a series! Thank God! 

I'd say that aside from an original take on YA fantasy it is a novel with a big take on acceptance of yourself and others! I really Liked that!

What I liked:

• The character development... You really connect and grow with Kylie and understand how she grows.
• The coming of age, this really is a book for young adults. NOT teenagers ages 15 and under. It was a bit more heavy on the, uuum, sexual tension but I identified with that and I appreciate the honesty C.C. Hunter wrote with about this issue. I never came across something quite like that in a YA novel.
• I loved how Kylie REALLY couldn't decide between Lucas and Derek. I wouldn't want to be her. Or would I?
• I loved the transition most of the camps newcomers went through. It truly was a journey of acceptance! 
• The honest dialogue!
• I LOVE THE COVER!!!

What I Didn't like:

• How whiny Kylie was at first, it was annoying and almost gave up on reading the book.
• The development came slow... The big BANG, heart racing scene came too near the end. 
• Did not really get many answers concerning Kylie and all the mystery surrounding Shadow Falls. I wanted to see (aka read about Kylie seeing) the falls. But I guess this is kept for the other books.
• Sometimes the writing was annoying, too much repetition. But that's probably because I'm picky.

Favorite character: Della

Favorite boy/love interest: How the heck can I know!? ( one of the many reasons why I love this book)

Least Favorite Character: Fredericka (the author did a good job!)

I really did enjoy this book! and I do recommend it to anyone who likes YA. 

4 Stars!

So READ IT!

Shelfability: Read/acquire

Wither by Lauren DeStefano {Review}

Wither by Lauren DeStefano {Review}

Wither by Lauren Destefano

Book info:

Cover artist: Lizzy Bromley
Language: English
Pages: 368
Series: The Chemical Garden Trilogy
Genre: Dystopian/Science Fiction/YA
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Publication date: March 22, 2011
Media type: Print (Hardback)
ISBN 9781442409057
Followed in the series by: Fever

Synopsis:


What if you knew exactly when you would die?
Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb — males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.
When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape — to find her twin brother and go home.
But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left. (GoodReads)


My review:


I must say, Wither is a GREAT book. It is completely unlike any other YA novel out there, definitely nothing short of original. I admit I was expecting more action from this novel, although I had just finished Divergent and my heart was pumping non stop. Before even reading the synopsis I knew I wanted this book! Why? Well, the cover of course! I have never liked a cover quite as much I think. It seems to have been pulled straight out of Vanity Fair Magazine! What a dreamy cover!
No, Wither isn't an action packed novel. It's a constant struggle between Rhine's need for freedom and her conscience. Lauren DeStefano does a great job at making her readers feel just as confused between the dream of freedom and lure of comfort and wealth. Rhine is a protagonist I was able to connect with. I felt that her inner dialogue was realistic and made me think of what I would have done had I been in her shoes. And honestly? I don't know!
And the world DeStefano created! OH MY... I do not know where to begin... By the first page I was overcome with chills. The certainty of knowing the exact time of your death is gripping. Almost nauseating. And you are reminded of that reality throughout the entire book!
Now if you are a god fearing christian I do not recommend this novel for you as it deals with very taboo subjects such as polygamy.
Anyhow, I give this Book one hell of a well deserved 4.5 out of 5 super shiny stars!

Shelfability:

Must read: YES
Must Own: YES

Divergent by Veronica Roth {Review}

Divergent by Veronica Roth {Review}

Ok Readers!


Here is the deal with Divergent by Veronica Roth:


Release Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 487
Format: Harcover
Source: Chapters
 


Summary: 
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance. (Goodreads)


What I thought!


You know when you watch an action or horror movie and the sound of your heart pumping blood back and forth fills your ears and you have to put up the volume because you can't hear the movie anymore?


Well, I wish the book had a volume button!


Divergent is a novel written by Veronica Roth, a student in her early twenties. I didn't how young she was until I googled her halfway through the book. 


All in all, this author know how to play with your emotions! 


I have read many reviews saying how this isn't really a dystopian novel and blah blah blah....


I only have good things to say from this novel.


I LOVE how Tris becomes kick ass and releases her real self. The relationship between her and Four was the most realistic feeling I have ever read in ANY novel before. COMPLETELY believable! The story was heart pumping, brought tears to my eyes and made me chuckle at times. 


I will consider this Novel a MUST READ! If you haven't read it yet you absolutely must!


5 Stars!

Cross-posted from http://prettyniftyyareader.blogspot.com

Title: Divergent 
Author: Veronica Roth 
Publisher: HarperCollins (2011)  
Format: Hardback 
Pages: 496 pages 
ISBN: 0062024027
Source: library
Where to buy: http://www.amazon.com/Divergent-Veronica-Roth/dp/0062024027
Veronica Roth's blog: http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/
Synopsis:
     In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.


My Thoughts:


     Ok if you haven't read this book I suggest that you one drop what you are doing (of course after you finish reading this), go to your nearest bookstore or go to your favorite online bookstore, AND BUY THIS BOOK! It is well worth the money. I finished this book in three hours. I love how Beatrice's character developed and Oh my gosh Four is from what I can tell HOT and an AMAZING guy! Holy crap this book was totally amazing! I give it an A+ rating (5 stars). Veronica Roth did an awesome job writing this book and I can not wait to read the rest of the books in this series. 


WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR: GO GET THE BOOK!!!!!!!!




Happy Reading,


Jaime 


cross-posted from: http://book-talk-girl.blogspot.com/