Waiting on Wednesday: Sisters Red

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.  

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Pub. Date: June 7, 2010

Goodreads says, "Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead. Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for."

*I've been hearing good things about this book.  It sounds like something I'd definitely enjoy and I think my students will, too!  I'm looking forward to this one especially since I got the ARC through SLJ's Webinar!  Also, this is a scheduled post since I am currently on Spring Break in Ireland. If you leave a comment, I'll be sure to get back to you when I return!  

Teaser Tuesday # 11

A weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

• 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! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and the author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

"Just a shadow.  Though the room was empty, my heart was still pounding.  I reached up to my neck, where Luke's secret key now hung on a chain. " (page 75)

*This is a scheduled post. I am currently on Spring Break in Ireland. If you leave me any comments, I'll be sure to get back to you when I return!

Spring Break

Ireland

My Spring Break starts tomorrow (insert my excitement here) and I leave for Ireland!  It's always been a dream of mine to travel to Ireland and now I have the chance.  What's even better is the fact that I get to experience it with my husband and our two good friends from college. We leave tomorrow, which is my birthday, and we will land in Dublin on the 28th.  We are spending two nights in Dublin, two nights in Killarney and two nights in Galway! It should be an adventure. I am also hoping to partake in the Dublin Literary Pub Tour; I'll have to take photos for my fellow English nerds.  

I'm also letting you guys know that I'll be gone all week and without Internet access. If I don't get back to you or respond to you on Twitter that is why.  I wanted to give everyone a heads up so you wouldn't think I was ignoring you!  I plan on scheduling a few meme posts to publish while I am gone, but no reviews. I'm sure I will be reading a ton on the plane, so my reviews will follow after the trip. I'll also be posting some photos of the trip as well; keep your eyes out for them. 

Have you guys been to Ireland? Any suggestions and/or recommendations? I will have Internet access until tomorrow afternoon so feel free to share your "MUST SEE" list with me!  I hope everyone has a great week!  I leave you with an Irish toast:  "May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and a smooth road all the way to your door."

Slàinte,

The Travel Books I'm Taking With Me:

Ireland: Eyewitness Travel Guide by Tim Perry

Top Ten Dublin by Polly Phillimore (Thanks to my co-worker for lending me this one!)

24 Great Walks in Dublin by Zoe Ross (Another big thank you to my co-worker.)

Books To Read On The Plane: (Not sure I'll get through all of them, but at least I will have them just in case!)

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater (I'm about half way through this one and the Celtic lore is perfect for my trip.)

Luxe by Anna Godbersen  (This is the series I have been meaning to start, but never got around to it.)

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (I'm dying to know what happens.)

13 Day to Midnight by Paul Carman (I'm about half way through this book. I can't get into it. I'm going to give it a try tomorrow on the plane.....we shall see!)

Book Blogger Hop #3

I met a lot of new bloggers participating in last week's Book Blogger Hop. Check out Crazy For Books! She is hosting a Book Blogger Hop, which gives book bloggers a chance to connect and find new blogs.  Check out her post on it and come join the fun! Don't you love the new graphic?

Here's her idea:  "Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!  So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign McLinky below, and check out other blogs in McLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!!  So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun! Pretty please - Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews."

Waiting on Wednesday: Guardian of the Dead

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.  

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Pub. Date: April 1, 2010

Goodreads says, "In less than a day I had been harassed, enchanted, shouted at, cried on, and clawed. I’d been cold, scared, dirty, exhausted, hungry, and miserable. And up until now, I’d been mildly impressed with my ability to cope. At her boarding school in New Zealand, Ellie Spencer is like any ordinary teen: she hangs out with her best friend, Kevin; obsesses over her crush on a mysterious boy; and her biggest worry is her paper deadline. Then everything changes: In the foggy woods near the school, something ancient and deadly is waiting.  Karen Healey introduces a savvy and spirited heroine with a strong, fresh voice. Full of deliciously creepy details, this adventure is a deftly crafted story of Māori mythology, romance, betrayal, and war."  

*I first came across this book at the SLJ Webinar and it really peaked my interest.  I'm not sure how I feel about the cover, but the premise sounds pretty good.  My TBR pile is officially overflowing! :)

Review of The Iron King

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Pages: 368

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: February 1, 2010

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why. When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king. Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart. The Iron King is the first book in the Iron Fey series."

Meghan Chase is an unlikely, strong female protagonist at the beginning of The Iron King. She lives on a farm and many consider her to be a hillbilly.  She doesn't have many friends other than her best friend, Robbie.  She finds that her brother, Ethan, has been kidnapped and her world goes upside down.  On her search for her brother, she also finds out who she truly is: the daughter of the Summer Faery King.  She also discovers some secrets about her best and most loyal friend, Robbie.  While she is on her quest, she meets extraordinary characters and travels  to sensational lands.  Most importantly, Meghan meets the elusive Winter Prince, Ash, who she feels a strong connection to.  Julia Kagawa's debut novel, The Iron King, is a promising start to a fantastical series. 

First, being the English nerd and teacher  that I am, I must tell you how much I loved Kagawa's allusions to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.  WOW! I teach this unit every year to my 8th graders and Kagawa brought to life many characters from this play.  She kept true to their traits and it was believable. I loved it!  Thank GOD she included my favorite character from Midsummer.....why, Puck, of course!  I don't want to give away too much, but he was hands down my favorite character. His wit and sarcasm was extremely entertaining. I found myself laughing out loud at his comments and antics.  Also, Meghan Chase, our heroine, was delightful, yet a strong lead. I truly enjoyed her and could sympathize with her predicament.  Another favorite character would be the cat, Grim.  He reminded of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland. Need I say more?  As you can see, Kagawa created many characters, but I never found it be overwhelming or confusing. 

The Winter Prince.......Ash. Hmmm.  I know many other bloggers online who are huge Ash fans, but I think those people might also be Team Peeta fans. See, I'm Team Gale and maybe that's why I wasn't feeling much for Ash.  If you read this book, feel free to disagree, but for the record, I'm Team Puck. (If you have no idea who Peeta and Gale are you need to read The Hunger Games...stat!)

Kagawa's writing style was very compelling.  I can't say I have read a book that has involved so much mythology as well as such strong fantasy elements as The Iron King.  As I was reading, I often made connections to Lloyd Alexander.  (By the way,  Lloyd Alexander wrote in my neighborhood growing up.  I just adore The Chronicles of Prydain so it's a compliment!)  I felt this book was along the same vein in a way.  There's no doubt that The Iron King is well written.  My only issue with the novel is that it was a tad predictable, but extremely enjoyable nonetheless.

This book is appropriate for middle level students, which I thought was fantastic. I know my fantasy loving students will truly enjoy this one.  I will absolutely be picking up the second book in the series, which is The Iron Daughter. It comes out this August and the third book, The Iron Queen, comes out in February 2011.  I look forward to re-visiting Julie Kagawa's imaginative world and of course, (*keeing my fingers crossed*) reading more about my man, Puck.  

*Does this book sound like something you would enjoy? Read the first three chapters here.  *Also, check out Julie Kagawa's website! 

 

Buy It Here:














Watch The Book Trailer:

Teaser Tuesday #10

A weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

• 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! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and the author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

"The figure on the throne threw me a smile as sharp as razors.  "Meghan Chase," he murmured, his scintillating voice echoing over the garden.  "Welcome.  I've been expecting you." (page 337)

*I just finished this book last night. It was definitely a fantastical read. I'll be reviewing it soon.  I also am looking forward to the second book in the series, The Iron Daughter, which comes out in August 2010.

WINNER!

The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard Signed Copy Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who participated.  There were 171 entires (WOW!) and with some help from random.org, # 56 was selected.  The winner is:

Rhiana Reads

Congrats! I'm going to have to check out your blog now! I will be sending an email to you shortly. If I don't hear back from you within 48 hours, I will pick a new winner.  I am hoping to mail it out ASAP! 

It's been a lot of fun hosting this contest and sharing some book love internationally.  Thanks to all my new followers and remember, I have another giveaway for Before I Fall that's going on till April 16th.  Thanks again and hope you have a great Sunday.

In My Mailbox #10

Today I am going to share the books that I received either through contests, for review, or books that I bought for personal/classroom library use. If you've read any of these books, please tell me what you think! This meme is hosted by The Story Siren. Happy reading!


Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

I'm embarressed that I haven't read this series yet. My students have raved about this series for years, but I never really picked it up.....that is until this past week! I am really looking forward to this one!
Goodreads says, "It's almost the end of Miranda's sophomore year in high school, and her journal reflects the busy life of a typical teenager: conversations with friends, fights with mom, and fervent hopes for a driver's license. When Miranda first begins hearing the reports of a meteor on a collision course with the moon, it hardly seems worth a mention in her diary. But after the meteor hits, pushing the moon off its axis and causing worldwide earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes, all the things Miranda used to take for granted begin to disappear. Food and gas shortages, along with extreme weather changes, come to her small Pennsylvania town; and Miranda's voice is by turns petulant, angry, and finally resigned, as her family is forced to make tough choices while they consider their increasingly limited options. Yet even as suspicious neighbors stockpile food in anticipation of a looming winter without heat or electricity, Miranda knows that that her future is still hers to decide even if life as she knew it is over."


Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

I won this book from a contest and I'm pretty psyched. I loved Very Valentine and Lucia, Lucia. I actually read both books while on vacation--perfect beach reads! I always end of fantasizing about a fantastic Italian vacation after reading her books.  Plus, no one can deny that the cover is absolutely amazing!
Goodreads says, "As Brava, Valentine begins, snow falls like glitter over Tuscany at the wedding of her grandmother, Teodora, and longtime love, Dominic. Valentine's dreams are dashed when Gram announces that Alfred, "the prince," Valentine's only brother and nemesis, has been named her partner at Angelini Shoes. Devastated, Valentine falls into the arms of Gianluca, a sexy Tuscan tanner who made his romantic intentions known on the Isle of Capri. Despite their passion for one another and Gianluca's heartfelt letters, a long-distance relationship seems impossible.  As Valentine turns away from romance and devotes herself to her work, mentor and pattern cutter June Lawton guides her through her power struggle with Alfred, while best friend and confidante Gabriel Biondi moves into 166 Perry Street, transforming her home and point of view. Savvy financier Bret Fitzpatrick, Valentine's first love and former fiancÉe who still carries a torch for her, encourages Valentine to exploit her full potential as a designer and a business woman with a plan that will bring her singular creations to the world."


City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

I fell in love with City of Bones so I had to buy the second in the series.  I think I will bring this one on Spring Break with me. I think it would be a great read for the plane and I'm dying to find out what happens!
Goodreads says, "A murderer is loose in New York City ..... and the victims are Downworlder children. Clary Fray and her fellow Shadowhunters have a strong suspicion that Valentine, Clary's father, may be behind the killings. But if he is the murderer, then what's his true motive? To make matters worse, the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, has been stolen, and the mysterious Inquisitor has arrived to investigate, with his eyes vigilantly targeted on Clary's brother, Jace. Clary will need to face some terrifying demons and even more terrifying family decisions. No one said that the life of a Shadowhunter would be easy."


       What did you guys get this week?  I hope everyone has a great week and enjoys their books.  I also want to remind you that my giveaway (international) for a signed copy of The Secret Year by Jennifer Hubbard ends TONIGHT at midnight and my giveaway for Before I Fall, which is a bestseller (WOO HOO!) by Lauren Oliver, ends April 16th.  
        Also, I've got an exciting week coming up, because Spring Break starts on Friday at 2:30pm.  After the crazy winter we had here in Pennsylvania, I could use some spring in my life.

Book Blogger Hop #2

I met a lot of new bloggers participating in last week's Book Blogger Hop. Check out Crazy For Books! She is hosting a Book Blogger Hop, which gives book bloggers a chance to connect and find new blogs.  Check out her post on it and come join the fun!

Here's her idea:  "Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!  So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky below, and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!!  So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun! Pretty please - Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews."

Review of Before I Fall and Giveaway

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

and GIVEAWAY!

Pages: 470

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Pub. Date: March 2, 2010

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life? Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined."

Lauren Oliver's debut novel weaves a compelling tale about a popular girl growing up in an affluent area.  It reads in first person, which I found to be extremely entertaining and effective.  Oliver often questions her readers and for me, the questions she posed were thought provoking. I found myself pondering my own life and thinking about the novel's strong message.  I can't remember a time that a novel made me think as much as this one did and still does!  With that said, Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall is literary brilliance.

Samantha Kingston, the protagonist, is actually someone I couldn't stand. She's that girl you grew up with that thinks she is too cool and everyone else is beneath her.  Her group of mean girls, also known as her best friends, were insufferable. Seriously, I hated them.  However, as Samantha evolves and changes, it makes the novel's theme that much more profound.  As Goodread's summary stated, Sam died and has to relive February 12th over and over again, which by the way, reminded me of the movie Groundhog Day.  It was very interesting to watch each day unfold and observe the fact that Sam's small changes in her day dramatically influenced not only her life, but the lives of people around her.

Oliver's writing is superb. She uses tons of imagery; in fact, many parts of the novel I felt were beautiful and quotable.  Her writing is truly vivid and my review can't possibly do it justice.  One of my favorite descriptions is Oliver's idea of greatest hits...you know..... the moments that are memorable and make life worth living?  I thought that was such a cool concept, but at the same time, it broke my heart as Sam thought about her own greatest hits.


Now, I HAVE to talk about the message of the story. This book is powerful.  The novel deals with underage drinking and car accidents, which unfortunately most adolescents can connect with.  I don't think I know anyone who hasn't heard of someone or knows someone that has been killed by a drunk driver or involved in a drunk driving accident.  This book makes you think about that and so much more; I wish all teenagers could read this.  


Additionally, this novel touches on many topics, such as relationships with family, friends, and people in school that you might overlook or that are bullied.  The book suggests that everyone has their own burdens and problems; we don't know what a person has gone through or could be going through.  It also demonstrates that our actions have profound effects which can be positive or negative and can influence others' lives.  As a teacher, this message hit home for me. The end of the novel had me blubbering like a baby. It threw me for a loop.  All I have to say is.....WOW!


One thing to keep in mind is that Before I Fall really isn't appropriate for most middle school students. I felt that the target audience would be much older; after all, Sam is a senior and it is only natural that she would deal with edgier issues, such as underage drinking, suicide, death, sex, etc.   However, fans of Forman's If I Stay will love this book.  Personally, I preferred If I Stay just a little bit more than Before I Fall mostly because I could connect with the main character, Mia, more than Sam.


Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall is a wonderful read that reminds us to never take the simple things and moments in life for granted.  In a world that is so fast paced, it is a nice to be reminded of what truly is important and that is what this novel so eloquently does.  


I somehow have an extra (brand new) hardback copy of this book. Not 100% sure how that happened...so my loss is your gain! This giveaway is for US only and for followers only. Consider it a thank you to all of my followers. It's been great getting to know everyone in the book blogosphere.  This giveaway closes on April 16th at midnight.  If you want to enter the giveaway, please click the link below:

Link To The Giveaway

Buy It Here:















AMAZING Book Trailer:

Waiting on Wednesday: Deception

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.  

Deception by Lee Nichols

Pub. Date: June 8, 2010

Goodreads says, "When Emma Vaile’s parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, she’s left all alone in her creepy old house. But her brother’s very cute best friend, Bennett Stern—Emma’s knight in J. Crew armor—arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family’s museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. She quickly finds friends in the popular legacy crowd at Thatcher and spends her free time crushing on Bennett. But the eerie visions she’s been hiding from everyone have gotten worse. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can’t explain—it’s as if she’s returning home to a place she’s never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an other-worldly murderer.   A rich New England setting filled with mystery, tradition, and prep-school intrigue make Deception the perfect choice for fans of series like Kate Brian’s Private, as well as all those paranormal fans. The shocking ending will leave readers desperate for book two."


*I heard about this one through SLJ's Webinar.  It seems like something I am definitely going to enjoy.  I love the idea of ghosts and I'm a huge Ghost Hunters fan, but I haven't heard much about this book.  I believe it's Lee Nichols first YA novel.  I'll have to keep me eye out for reviews as it gets closer to the pub. date.  

Teaser Tuesday #9

Teaser Tuesday

A weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

• 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! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and the author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

"Maybe we all are: just one lunch period away from eating alone in the bathroom.  I wonder if it's ever really possible to know the truth about someone else, or if the best we can do is just stumble into each other, heads down, hoping to avoid collision." (page 286)

In My Mailbox #9

Today I am going to share the books that I received either through contests, for review, or books that I bought for personal/classroom library use. If you've read any of these books, please tell me what you think! This meme is hosted by The Story Siren. Happy reading!

Kimberly Derting's Street Team Swag 

I nearly died when I opened this package. I have a bunch of signed bookmarks and two different types of stickers to give out to my students to promote the release of The Body Finder, which comes out on March 16th. Everyone needs to get a copy! I loved this book. Read my review here. Also, Kimberly Derting supplied me with signed posters to give out to my students and I'm going to share one with the librarian at school. My students are going to be ecstatic. I also freaked out about one of the posters she signed for me. Check it out!

Lastly, I received a Body Finder bag, which perfect for caring around all my books to and from work and an official Street Team certificate. I am really excited to share some Body Finder love with my students, because this book truly rocks!  I know they will love it!  I plan on framing the poster and certificate and putting it up in my classroom!  A big thanks to Kimberly Derting for allowing me to be a part of this!  

Thirteen Days Till Midnight by Patrick Carman

I received this ARC through Hachette and the SLJ Webinar about upcoming spring books.  I'm pretty excited to start this one.  It comes out April 12th.

Goodreads says, "When Jacob’s foster father whispers, “You are indestructible” seconds before dying in a car crash that should’ve killed them both, Jacob never imagines he could possess a real superpower. To test it Jacob and his friends start indulging comic book-like fantasies. Later, they commit to use this amazing power of indestructibility to do good in the world and save others from death. But how do they decide who to save? And what happens when they blur the lines of life and death, right and wrong, and good and evil? Thirteen Days to Midnight is a nail-biting tale of dark intrigue, powerful romance, friendship and adventure."

The Brimstone Key (Grey Griffins: The Clockwork Chronicles #1) by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis

I received this ARC also through Hachette and the SLJ webinar.  This book doesn't come out until June 7th and it looks like the start of a really fun series. I think my students will like this one!

Amazon says, "A year ago, the Grey Griffins were just regular kids from Avalon, Minnesota. That was before they learned about the existence of evil fairies, werewolves, and other things that go bump in the night. Now they are monster-hunters, celebrated heroes, and allies to the legendary Templar knights---but even heroes have to go to school.When the Griffins enroll at Iron Bridge Academy, a school to train young recruits in the fight against the forces of evil, they find themselves at the center of a whole new adventure. The Clockwork King, a Templar foe from days past, has returned to finish the plan he set in motion decades ago. A plot to steal the souls of changelings---humans infused with fairy blood and supernatural abilities---in order to power his army of clockwork war machines."

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

I also received this ARC through Hachette and the SLJ webinar.  I've read a lot of good reviews for this book so far and am looking forward to reading it. It comes out June 7th. 

Goodreads says, "Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead. Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for."

*A big thank you to Hachette for providing me with these exciting ARCs.  

Review of The Dark Divine

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Pages: 372

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: December 22, 2009

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held. The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes. The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul."

Grace Divine is the goody two shoes that we all knew in school. She always did the right thing, never cut class, and was a role model for other kids.  Daniel, her childhood friend, comes back into her life when she least expects it.  Daniel is the prototypical bad boy with a dark past. As Goodreads mentioned, the closer Grace comes to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life and the closer she gets to his dreadful secret.  Bree Despain's The Dark Divine is a fun read that fans of young adult paranormal romances will enjoy.  

I'm not going to lie. At first, Grace wasn't someone I enjoyed or even connected with.  She was the typical "good girl" who wants to save the world and everyone in it. That for me, in itself, was frustrating.  As the story progressed, Grace, the pastor's daughter, became more interesting to me as Bree Despain continued to develop her character.  For me, she was the type of character that you would yell at for making stupid decisions or for simply being mindless, but I found her to be absorbing nevertheless.  

Daniel, on the other hand, was mysterious and everything I would expect in a "bad boy." No complaints there!  Now....someone I have been dying to vent about:  APRIL!  I was really hung up on April, Grace's best friend.  What is up with some of these so-called best friends in young adult literature? They are THE WORST!  I wasn't a fan of her and her fickle behavior.  In fact, she sort of exits stage left and walks right out of Grace's life towards the middle of novel! I don't want to give too much away, but I found her character to be insufferable!  I wish Grace had more gumption and could tell April a piece of her mind!  I felt like she was never there for Grace.

On a positive note, I enjoyed Despain's writing style. I found myself quickly reading through the book. It definitely held my attention.  Despain also incorporated some mythology, which I felt was interesting and it held my attention.  However, when Daniel's secret is finally revealed, it felt a bit too cheesy for me.  I'm sure fans of Twilight will love this book, but for me, it was all a little too chintzy and derivative.  If you have read my reviews before, you know I struggle with this often.

All in all, this was a fun read and I'll probably read the next book in the series, The Lost Saint.  So you might ask did The Dark Divine "WOW" me?  No, I can't say it did, but it sure was entertaining nonetheless.  It would have been the perfect beach read for me!

Want to read the first chapter of The Dark Divine? Check it out here.  Check out Bree Despain's blog while you are at it!

Buy It Here:

Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop

Love to check out new blogs? Crazy For Books is hosting a Book Blogger Hop, which gives all the book bloggers a chance to connect and find new blogs.  Check out her post on it and come join the fun!

Here's her idea:  "Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!  So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky below, and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!!  So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun! Pretty please - Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews."

Waiting on Wednesday: Anxious Hearts

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.  "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.  

Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw

Pub. Date: May 1, 2010

Goodreads says, "“Evangeline,” he repeated, calling at a whisper. “Evangeline.” He was not calling that she may hear, he was calling that somehow her soul might know that he was devoted entirely to her, only to her. “Evangeline, I will find you.” Eva and Gabe explore the golden forest of their seaside Maine town, unknowingly tracing the footsteps of two teens, Evangeline and Gabriel, who once lived in the idyllic wooded village of Acadia more than one hundred years ago. On the day that Evangeline and Gabriel were be wed, their village was attacked and the two were separated. And now in the present, Gabe has mysteriously disappeared from Eva.  A dreamlike, loose retelling of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous love poem “Evangeline,” Anxious Hearts tells an epic tale of unrequited love and the hope that true love can be reunited."


*Being the English teacher I am, I was immediately drawn to this YA novel that retells the classic poem, Evangeline. I am intrigued by this book; plus, I adore the cover! What are you guys waiting for?

Review of City of Bones

City of Bones: Mortal Instruments #1 
by Cassandra Clare

Pages: 485

Pub. Date: March 27, 2007

Genre: YA Fantasy

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "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."

Clary Fray is a normal teenager living in New York City until one night she witnesses a murder at a night club.....a murder which only she can see!  That night Clary also encounters the Shadowhunters, whose sole purpose is to fight demons that roam the earth.  Clary is confused with the fact that she could see these Shadowhunters and the murder, yet no one else could- even her best friend, Simon, who was there with her at the night club.  Without giving away too much, Clary ends up involved with the Shadowhunters and thrown into their world. The author, Cassandra Clare, creates a literary world unlike any other I have been in.  Her story captivated me from the beginning and I was truly immersed in Clary's story.  Simpley said: I LOVED this book.

The characters that Clare created and the situations she put them in had me consumed. It was one of those books where I would be thinking about the characters and the plot even when I wasn't reading it!  This book is 485 pages and normally when a book is that long I find it to be self-indulgent and monotonous at times, but I wasn't bored for a second.  My favorite character, Jace, is a Shadowhunter whom Clary ends up meeting the night of the murder.  The witty dialogue between Clary and Jace had me laughing out loud.  I adored Jace's clever banter.  He had me at his first sardonic remark.  The main obstacle in Clary and Jace's relationship nearly destroyed me. Heartbreaking. I was fuming towards the end of this book and if you have read this novel, you know what I am referring to.  I'm hoping Clare will remedy this situation in the second book.  

Yes, Clare has a love triangle in this book, but it was done so well in my opinion. Normally the love triangle drives me nuts, but I thought it brought to light many characteristics about Simon/Clary/Jace that we normally wouldn't see.  How could you not root for the good guy, Simon?  He's everything a girl could want and he is Clary's most loyal friend.  I found myself rooting for him, but when it came down to it, I was ultimately on Team Jace. (This shouldn't be a surprise if you know me. I'm a huge Team Gale fan, which tends to upset people.)

I know many people compared this series to J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter.  Umm. Sure. I find J.K. Rowling to be extremely entertaining, but not exotic. At all.  City of Bones is like Harry Potter on steroids. This novel is an urban fantasy with way more edge.  Although the worlds that Clare and Rowling create are remarkable, I think the comparisons end there.  

After reading City of Bones, I immediately went on Amazon and bought the next two books in the series.  I hear there is a fourth book coming out March of 2011. I don't know too much about it though.  I also heard that there is a trilogy of prequels called the Infernal Devices, but since it's 145 years before City of Bones, many of the characters that I have come to love won't be in it.  Lastly, word on the street is that this book and/or series has been optioned by Unique Features. I think that this book would translate perfectly to the big screen!  With that said, I liked this book more than Twilight.  I would pick Jace over Edward any day. I'll try to stop gushing about this book for now, but if you haven't read it, you really need to! 

Buy It Here:

The Series Book Trailer: