Sunday, December 4, 2011

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a post where I tell you the books that I received this week either by buying them from the bookstore, going to the library or from my mailbox. In My Mailbox was inspired by Alea and turned into a meme by Kristi.

Destined by P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast

Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet – which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together – if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow…

But there are new forces at work at the House of Night. An influx of humans, including Lenobia’s handsome horse whisperer, threatens their precarious stability. And then there’s the mysterious Aurox, a jaw-droppingly gorgeous teen boy who is actually more – or possibly less – than human. Only Neferet knows he was created to be her greatest weapon. But Zoey can sense the part of his soul that remains human, the compassion that wars with his Dark calling. And there’s something strangely familiar about him…

Replication by Jill Williamson

Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky.

Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars.

As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Contest Saturday

Here are some contests that are currently going on right now in the blogosphere that book related. Click the links to enter them. I will try to hold my own contest each month.

Win a Kiss of Frost HERE. Ends 12/7

Win a copy of All Wounds HERE. Ends 12/10

Win a copy of Thou Shalt Not Road Trip HERE. Ends 12/10

Win a copy of Liesl and Po HERE. Ends 12/12

Win a copy of Untraceable HERE. Ends 12/13

Win a copy of Nightspell HERE. Ends 12/15

Win a copy of Eve HERE. Ends 12/15

Friday, December 2, 2011

My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody

Title: My Life Undecided
Author: Jessica Brody
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 72% or C-
Buy It: Amazon

Here’s the deal. My name is Brooklyn Pierce, I’m fifteen years old, and I am decisionally challenged.

Seriously, I can’t remember the last good decision I made. I can remember plenty of crappy ones though. Including that party I threw when my parents were out of town that accidentally burned down a model home. Yeah, not my finest moment, for sure.

But see, that’s why I started a blog. To enlist readers to make my decisions for me. That’s right. I gave up. Threw in the towel. I let someone else decide which book I read for English. And whether or not I accepted an invitation to join the debate team from that cute-in-a-dorky-sort-of-way guy who gave me the Heimlich maneuver in the cafeteria. (Note to self: chew the melon before swallowing it.) I even let them decide who I dated!

Well, it turns out there are some things in life you simply can’t choose or have chosen for you—like who you fall in love with. And now everything’s more screwed up than ever. 

My Thoughts::
Here we go again guys. My worst nightmare has been brought up to another level. I did not misread the summary. The summary mislead me. I was seriously excited to read this book, I really was. Though..it wasn't all it could be or was trying to be.

Right when we jump into it I like Brooklyn. Sure, she's kind of irrational and a bit too much of the stereotypical teen, but so what? She has her good points and she makes me laugh. But as the book went on she just deteriorated. I began to find her less and less interesting and her problems less and less important. Her bad points began to override her good points, which is when we know something isn't working. Also, I was really bothered that she felt soooo convinvced that NOT running her own life was the best way to make her life good, but challenges almost all of the choices made for her. Isn't it obvious that since she wouldn't make those choices herself, hence the asking other people to, she wouldn't agree with them!!

No let's move on to the blog. The concept seemed really interested and I was excited to see how someone can have their life ran by strangers, but it was mostly a fail. Sure, the choices that she made because of them changed her life in some ways, but in no way was it effective as the original idea seemed.

Did it annoy anyone else that the lesson that Brooklyn learned by the end of the novel was learned by the readers halfway through the book? By the end it just seemed pounded in. Whooooa making your own decisions and mistakes is a good thing? Big surprise.

Overall, even though this review had it's fair share of negative comments, the premise was interesting and Brooklyn wasn't all bad. I'd recommend this book to those interested in how strangers can effect your life or just to people who need to know that mistakes can happen, and often.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

November in Review

I read 9 books this month (you can check them all out in read in 2011 page)
I reviewed 8:

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
The Death Cure by James Dashner
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green 
If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

I reviewed 1 movie this month:
Cyberbully

Challenges so far:
I listened to 5/6 audio books for the 2011 audio book challenge

I read 79/100 books towards my personal goal

Blog Changes:

My design and new blog name are all decided and I can not wait to unveil them in 2012!

Overall:

I missed two days of posting this month but that was because we lost internet for Thanksgiving weekend. I can't wait to go into the new year all strong and mighty. One of my old blog friends came back, so make sure to check out her blog at www.readingkeepsyousane.blogspot.com. I've come to the conclusion that I won't read 100 books by the end of the year. I'll most likely get to 90, but I make no promises after that. Oh yeah, and I'll listen to one more audio book to complete the 2011 audio book challenge.