Monday 30 May 2011

Like Mandarin review

Like Mandarin
Kirsten Hubbard
March 8th 2011
Delacorte Press

It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin. When they're united for a project, they form an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights spent skinny-dipping in the canal, liberating the town's animal-head trophies, and searching for someplace magic. Grace plays along when Mandarin suggests they run away together. Blame it on the crazy-making wildwinds plaguing their Badlands town. Because all too soon, Grace discovers Mandarin's unique beauty hides a girl who's troubled, broken, and even dangerous. And no matter how hard Grace fights to keep the magic, no friendship can withstand betrayal.


When I started Like Mandarin, I wasn't really that sure what to expect. I mean, I knew what it was about , but I wasn't that sure about what was actually going to happen in it. And even in the book it didn't quite happen like I expected it too. Which is always good, I guess. But nevertheless, I really, really enjoyed Like Mandarin! It was really different from what I usually read, and I thought the lack of romance would put me off, but it really didn't. Like Mandarin was the book that got me out of my month long reading funk, and I'm not sure if that's because of Hubbard's beautiful writing or the characters and their story or all of it, but I'm sure as heck thankful. Reading funks are the worst.


Like Mandarin is the story of two girls, Grace, who is kind of invisible and doesn't want to stand out, yet longs to get away from Washokey, and Mandarin, who is a kind of a mystery-girl (but who EVERYONE in town has heard of) who's kind of messed up and kind of wants to get out. Not really likely friends, but when they get put together for a school project, fast friends they do make. Maybe a bit too fact, because they start planning to run away together and everything. (I know, I should totally write book summary's for a living... ;P) But that's kind of what I thought the whole book would be about. Their running away, but it wasn't. It was just more a focus on their friendship, and how it kind of went wrong. And I really enjoyed it.


I think this is one of the only books though, that I didn't fall in love with any of the characters. Don't get me wrong! I liked Grace and Taffeta (Grace's sister) fine, but they're not the sort of people who will linger with me, y'know. And I can see why Grace wanted to be like Mandarin, and why she's aspired to be like her for a while. Heck, even I admire the side of her that can take whatever rumours and insults come without a second glance, but at the same time, Mandarin's kind of a slut, and she's really messed up. Not really the best role model a fourteen year old can have. Also, Mandarin's mood swings and everything... Grace was pretty brave to hang around with her like she did... Not that Mandarin was a bad person, she was just a bit unstable, I guess..


And another person who kind of pissed me off was Grace's mum. You are seriously just being a dick if you're still holding a grudge against your daughter for messing up a beauty pageant 8 YEARS AGO. What is up with that?! And she was putting too much pressure on Taffeta, and as soon as she made herself out to be alright, she was an ass again! But at the end she was okay. I guess that's what this book  was about too. Because of Mandarin, a lot of things got fixed  in Grace's family too...


It's probably looking like I didn't enjoy the book much... I did! I'm just a bit rusty with my review writing is all. I LOVED Kirsten's writing. I could feel the Washokey wildwinds, and the dry summer heat. All of the emotions of the book you could really feel. The passion and anger and need for freedom from their small town was all there. I just really thought the writing was great.


Like Mandarin is an interesting, gripping, beautifully written book about the short lived, unlikely friendship between to girls who long to escape and one who finally does. 4 stars :D



Sunday 29 May 2011

In My Mailbox (33)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren



Again, I didn't get a lot this week, but what I did get was awesome!

For review:
Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey. Really excited for this one! I love the cover, though I prefer the US one a teensy bit more. Thank you Bloomsbury!

Gifted:
The lovely Cari from Cari's Book Blog sent me some pretty cool Jane Eyre bookmarks! :D

Won:
I mean to show this a few weeks ago, but I won Nova Ren Suma's FB contest for bookmarks. It's SO PRETTY. Plus the envelope she sent it in was the same colour. Just thought that was awesome. ;)






And I know, I know, this isn't a book. It's the Weasley twins. AWESOME, RIGHT?! Yeah, me and my mum (in the photo, in case you thought that was me... lol) went to Collectormania which is just where loads of nerds go to meet people from nerdy things and Harry Potter and it's pretty awesome. We also met Padma Patil and she was lovely, plus some people from Star Trek that I don't know.. But yeah! It was fun :)

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Waiting on Wednesday #33

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Michelle Hodkin
September 27th 2011

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.


It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

SO EXCITED FOR THIS! And I'm sorry if I've done this one before... But LOOK AT IT. It looks amazing! I'm so hyped for it. I read the first chapter a while ago, and I just know that I'll love it.

What are you waiting for?

Monday 23 May 2011

Speak review

Speak
Laurie Halse Anderson
October 22nd 1999
Puffin


After Melinda goes through a traumatic and violent incident at a summer party, she calls the cops and becomes a social outcast. Her freshman year is a disaster. As time passes, she stops talking--except through her paintings in art class. Her healing process has just begun when her perpetrator attacks again. Only this time, she doesn't keep silent.


I really am at a loss for words as to what to say about Speak. If not one of the best books that I've read, it's one of the most important. And it's probably the reason that I like contemporaries so much. Because, while Paranormals and fantasies are all good fun and full of hot boys and over dramatic girls, I prefer that realism, and the characters, and the fact that while not a lot actually happens, so much can just happen in the development of the characters. And I just feel so glad for them when they finally make that breakthrough, that realization, that things will get better.


And that was exactly how I felt with Melinda. Because Melinda is bright, and she's funny (seriously, she had me laughing quite a bit) and a terrible thing happened to her. And, understandably, this terrible thing got to her, and she started to not talk to people, being antisocial, not caring about school. But she did start to move on. With the help of art and learning how to express herself in ways other than words, she started to move on. And become the funny, bright girl she is all the time.


But as great as Melinda is, and as sweet as David is,  (David Petrakis, the nice kid who's not an arsehole and becomes Melinda's friend), and cool as Mr Freeman was, there were a lot of arse's in this book. And while I know they're not two dimensional and whatnot, for the sake of this review and my need to bitch, they are. First of all, her parents! They were just blind! Shouting at Melinda, pressuring Melinda just because her grades weren't great. Did they not think her strange behaviour meant something was wrong? And Heather. I practically cheered when Melinda told Heather off. She was nice, but so darn manipulative! And doing all that pouty face stuff when she didn't get what she wanted, and getting sad because she wasn't freaking POPULAR. Idiot. Mr. Neck. Horrible, crazy, proud, arrogant, arsehole. And finally, who I think we can all agree is the king of arseholes, Andy. Evans. Stupid bastard goes about raping innocent 13 years olds at high school parties, then dates said girls friend and, when the truth comes out, completely denies it AND tries it again. I HOPE that girls hockey team made it so no girl with eyes would ever even THINK about going out with him. BASTARD. *sits down to chill* Sorry about that... ;)


Speak is a funny, clever, moving book about the effects that sexual assault can have on a person, and moving on from it. A book that so many people should read, I can't even believe people would want it banned. 5 stars :D

Sunday 22 May 2011

In My Mailbox (32)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren



For review:
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time by Yasutaka Tsutsui (I'm excited to read this one because I love the film! Thanks to Alma books)
Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors (I've heard some good things about this and it sounds pretty quirky and interesting. Thanks to Bloomsbury!)

What did you get in your mailbox?

Friday 20 May 2011

Will Grayson, Will Grayson review

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
John Green and David Levithan
April 6th 2010
Dutton Juvenile


One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.


Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

What can I say about Will Grayson? It's just so awesome! It's one of the funniest books I've read, and it proves my theory that anything John Green writes is gold. Plus I want to read more of David Levithan's books. Anyone who can co-come up with such a hilarious idea,  and execute it so perfectly has got to be good. And anyone who can come up with Tiny Cooper is just, like, my HERO. The characters were really what made this book for me.

The first Will Grayson (John Green's) was a very typical teenager, I think. I think that if someone hasn't felt like Will Grayson, then you're either weird or popular or something, because he's just full of that outcastishness that I can really relate too. And he's just so... so normal, I guess. Not to mention he's sarcastic, and funny, but there's nothing extraordinary about him. And that's what I kind of love about him. He's just an normal kid, trying to live his live with a best friend like Tiny Cooper (who I will get to soon. He needs his own paragraph.)

The second Will Grayson (Levithan's) was a depressed, emoey, teen. But I swear, he had me laughing SO MUCH. His humour is so my humour. And despite the fact he was a very emotional person, and he really let things affect him a lot more then he liked to think, he was really lovely. Such a sweet kid at heart. And I'm really glad it ended like it did. Because there were break-ups, and people cried, and there was pain, but there was a silver lining too. And amongst all the serious stuff, it was SO FREAKING FUNNY. And it wasn't preachy (unless you count Hold Me Closer, which I don't) which is awesome because books with messages are okay, just preachy books really IRK me.

And Tiny Cooper. Tiny. Cooper. He's just amazing. He wrote a WHOLE MUSICAL about his life. He is both literally and metaphorically the largest character in the book. I want a friend like Tiny. I would so help him make Hold Me Closer. I would be IN IT. I WANT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. If someone does make it real, I'm so there. Seriously. I'm feeling the Tiny love.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is a  hilariously heartfelt book about 2 boys who meet in a porn shop with the same name, that I think most people will enjoy, albeit the sweariness. 5 stars. And (for those who've read) I sure as heck appreciate Tiny Cooper.  ;D

Thursday 19 May 2011

Flawless review

Flawless
Lara Chapman
May 10th (US)/ May 3rd (UK)
Bloomsbury


Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking?

This hip retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is filled with hilariously misguided matchmaking, sweet romance, and a gentle reminder that we should all embrace our flaws.



When I got this to read from Bloomsbury, I was kind of excited to read it. I don't read a lot of Classics or their retellings, and I seriously had no idea what Cyrano de Bergerac was. So I sort of went into this not really knowing what to expect, and I can't really compare it with the book it was based on because I haven't read it, but I really enjoyed Flawless regardless! The only thing I really needed explaining to me was why the main boy was called Rockford. Seriously. That's his name. This might just be me, and he was a lovely guy and whatever, but names that involve masonry = not good. IMO. ;D


I really liked Sarah and found her really relatable as a character, but like every other page she was moaning about her nose. I mean, it's acceptable, but after a while it just got a teeny bit annoying. It can't have been THAT big... And I liked Kristen, but I really wanted to hate her because she's that girl that you HAVE to like but you want to hate but you can't. Making your best friend decieve the boy you like (that she also fancies the PANTS off) and crying when she says she won't do it because 'that's what a good friend would do' is not on. And Rock was lovely! Apart from his name... But he was handsome, intelligent, funny, all good really! And he really does goes better with Sarah than Kristen. Lying to boys you like is never a good way to get them to like you. Sometimes. Well, in the case of this book. :D


I really enjoyed Flawless, and while I usually dislike books that have some really obvious message, I do think that the message Flawless put across is important. DON'T LET YOUR MUM TRY AND CONVINCE YOU TO HAVE A NOSE JOB. I jest, I jest, but seriously, it is really important to become comfortable with yourself and love you for who and what you are, not what you'd be after some surgeons cut your face up. (sorry, I don't like plastic surgery. It freaks me out. But that's just me.)


Flawless was a great book, with a great message of learning to love yourself, and (from what I've read) it sticks pretty close to the plot of the original play. Sweet, short and funny, you might want to give this book a try. 4 stars :D

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Waiting on Wednesday #32

Possess
Gretchen McNeil
August 23rd


Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.



This book sounds exactly my kinda thing. I love all things ghost/demon/exorcisms. Plus, Gretchen's awesome, and Bridget sounds pretty kick ass. And I just adore this cover! It's stunning!


What are you waiting for?



Tuesday 17 May 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Minor Characters






Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where bloggers make lists about books and other suitably bookish things. This week we're doing our favourite minor characters! Awesome! I love me some side characters :D

1.  Grimalkin from The Iron Fey series. This cat is AMAZING. Sarcastic and slightly Cheshire-y, Grim is a hard character not to love.

2. Cree from Rockoholic. Cree may only be a toddler, but she's so important to the story, and just plain adorable! 

3.  Tiny Cooper from Will Grayson, Will Grayson. OMG, do I love Tiny Cooper. He is just plain incredible! He wrote a whole musical based on HIM. Awesome.

4. Christina from Divergent. I really, really liked Christina. She was such a great friend, and what happened at the end... I just felt so bad for her...

5. Magnus from the Mortal Instruments. Magnus is one of my favourite characters EVER. I love him so much! If her ever, ever dies, I will never get over it... ;D

6. Ambrose and Jules from Die For Me. Kay, so it's technically 2, but  they're from the same book. I really loved Jules and Ambrose, they were probably my favourite characters from the book. They were just so funny together! You could see they were really great friends.

7. Jenna from Hex Hall. A pink-loving southern vampire, who;s just adorable! I love Jenna!  SO sweet :D

8. Perry from Clarity. I LOVE Perry. Like seriously, he's so much better than Gabriel. Slightly moody, psychic, handsome, and not a complete broody type! I'm really starting to hate these broody people...

9. Bob from Della Says: OMG. Bob who works at the Deli was just one of the best characters for me! He made me laugh a lot, plus he was pretty helpful in some places :D

10. Michael from Howl's Moving Castle. I always loved Michael! Howl's wizarding apprentice, he's just so sweet :)


Monday 16 May 2011

Last Chance/ Keeping the Moon review

Last Chance/ Keeping The Moon (US)
Sarah Dessen
May 11th 2004 (US)
Puffin (US)/ Hodder (UK)

Colie expects the worst when she's sent to spend the summer with her eccentric aunt Mira while her mother, queen of the television infomercial, tours Europe. Always an outcast -- first for being fat and then for being "easy" -- Colie has no friends at home and doesn't expect to find any in Colby, North Carolina. But then she lands a job at the Last Chance Cafe and meets fellow waitresses Morgan and Isabel, best friends with a loving yet volatile relationship. Wacky yet wise, Morgan and Isabel help Colie see herself in a new way and realize the potential that has been there all along.


You guys know that I love Sarah Dessen, and I'm way too impatient to wait for What Happened To Goodbye to come out here (seriously, what do you think I am, a Saint?) so I decided to go a bit old school, and I picked up Last Chance. I chose it because people told me it was a quirkier one of SD's books, and I like quirky characters, and I was not left disappointed.


While I don't think it quite matches up to the amazingness of her books now, I still totally loved it. One thing I love about her books so much is that the romance is never really the focal point of the books. They're prominent, and key to the plot, but they're also a lot about friendship and family, and I just think it's great that she doesn't promote the thought that all girls are pathetic and just fail at life when their pretty little boyfriend is hanging around... *shakes head and sighs in exasperation.*


Colie was pretty different from her other protags, but I liked that. I thought her lip ring was cool, just for the record. And while she could get a bit whingy sometimes, it was great to see her really start to come out of her shell after spending so long hiding. And Norman was adorable! Such a sweet guy, and a great artist! What more do you want?! Plus Isabel and Morgan were great! Isabel with her straight, honest ways who first appeared to be a bit rude but turned out to be pretty nice, and Morgan, with her pretty disastrous relationship... God I hate Mark. He's such an ass. And Mira! She was wonderful! She just didn't give a damn about what people said about her! I love her for that. And I totally respect her for that. If I was in her position, I would be totally upset about it.


Last Chance was a cute, short, Sarah Dessen book that I kind of adored. Seriously, the woman is amazing. I'd read anything if she wrote it. 4.5 stars :D

Saturday 14 May 2011

In My Mailbox (31)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren



Only got one book this week.
 For review:
The Truth About Celia Frost by Paula Rawsthorne (Haven't heard much about this but it looks pretty good! Thank you Usbourne! :D)

What did you get?

Friday 13 May 2011

Della Says: OMG review

(I know I posted this yesterday, but Blogger deleted it.) :)


Della Says: OMG
Keris Stainton
May 6th 2010
Orchard Books

Della’s over the moon when she kisses her long-standing crush at a party – but then she discovers her diary has disappeared... 

When scans of embarrassing pages are sent to her mobile and appear on Facebook, Della’s distraught – how can she enjoy her first proper romance when someone, somewhere, knows all her deepest, darkest secrets?



Della Says OMG, I say OMG, we ALL say OMG at how awesomely awesome, sweet and funny this book is. Sometimes I feel bad for those of you in the states because you miss out on loads of fabulous British books! But you have TOO MANY awesome books, so I guess it's only fair ;D


But on to the review! When I first saw Della, I immediately thought MG. Don't ask why, I just did. But I was totally wrong. This book was British teen through and through. Though, if your not too fond of swearing or sexual situations, this is another book you might want to avoid. Really, don't let it put you off though. Because Della is just like any other British 16 year old.  Only with some pretty embarrassing things in her diary...


This book made me snarf. I hate steal Carrie Harris's word, but it did. It's so funny! Some of the things Della said, Maddy said. Dan and Della had some pretty funny convos too, not to mention Maddy and her boyfriend... And Della's parents were brilliant! They were such awesome parents! And they were good parents, as well as funny and slightly embarrassing! ;D But Jamie was kind of a bitch. What a crappy sister! I'm sorry, if my sister did any of that to me, it would not be on. At all. Grrr.


The book did have some issues in it too, primarily to do with going out with boys and having sex, and there is mention of sex in the bookm as well as female masturbation, which isn't something you see in many (or any, in my case) YA books at all, but it was nice that this book was so open about everything. It's something we need! Openness about sex is good! We all know it's happening, why not face up to it! Especially in contemp-type books! But, y'know, if Della Says isn't your thing, it isn't your thing. Each to their own! ;D (Don't listen to me it's awesome read it now)


Della Says is a charming, funny book with an excellent cast of characters (Dan will have you falling in love with him. He's just so NORMAL! ;D) that you should probably read because it's wonderful :D 4.5 stars! :D

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Waiting on Wednesday #31

Don't Breathe a Word
Holly Cupala
September 20th 2011

Joy Delamere is suffocating. 

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out. 

Joy can take his words—tender words, cruel words—until the night they go too far. 

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe…if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late. 

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.


I haven't read Holly's other book yet, but this one sounds amazing. And the cover is brilliant! So many good books coming out in September. It's gonna be awesome :D


What are you waiting on?

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Biggest Literary Jerks





Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where bloggers make lists about books and other suitably bookish things. This weeks we're discussing biggest literary jerks! So much fun ;P

1. Andy Evans from Speak. The KING of all jerks. I hope that hockey team did something darn terrible to that pretty face of his, because he totally deserves it. Asshole.

2. Eric from Divergent. He kinda made me feel sick, he was so slimy and power freakish and a creep. Bleh.

3. Jackson Gatlin from Rockoholic. Okay, so he redeems himself at the end, but for like the first half of the book, he was a jerk!  I get he was going through withdrawal symptoms or something, but still! There's a limit! Throwing coffee back in peoples faces and whatnot... 

4.  Patch from Hush, Hush. As much as I love him, he is a jerk. Seriously, he;s kind of creepy too... He should of explained the whole Marcie thing to Nora instead of turning her into a semi-pathetic mess that apparently all girls turn into when their supernatural lovers don't pay them all the attention in the world. *sigh*

5.  Gale from The Hunger Games. So he had his reasons. DOESN'T FORGIVE WHAT HE DID. Besides, he was just kinda a jerk throughout most of Mockingjay...

6. Jace from TMI. I LOOVE Jace. And I love asshole Jace (definitely more so than lovesick puppy Jace) but he IS  a huge douche bag. In a good way.

7. Draco Malfoy. I love him, but he's an asshole.

8. Dave from Anna and the French Kiss. Who is HE to intervene in Anna and St.Claire's obviously budding romance, huh?! 

9.  Kyle Kingsbury from Beastly. He changes, I know, I know. But before all that, I just needed to slap him. So hard round his silly little arrogant stupid pretty face. Jerk.

10. Mr Wickham from P&P. What a douche bag. I feel bad of Lydia, and that's saying something! Stupid jerkface and his stupid sideburns... ;P

Saturday 7 May 2011

In My Mailbox (30)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi atThe Story Siren :D







This week I got:

For review:
Flawless by Lara Chapman (Thanks Bloomsbury!)
Boys Don't Cry by Malorie Blackman (Been wanting this for ages! Thank you Random House!)

Bought:
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (Finally bought this one! Looking forward to reading it :D)
Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr (I still need to read 3&4, but it's so pretty! Plus it was 3 for 2...;P)
The Dark and Hollow Places (So much prettier than the UK covers for the other two!)

Won:
Clash by Colin Mulhern from the Lovely Andrew at The Pewter Wolf! (You should follow him, guys. He's awesome, if not totally random ;P)

Gifted:
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (It's AMAZING) Thank you so much Lindsey (@isabellamorgan) for sending this to me! She also blogs here

What did you get?

Thursday 5 May 2011

Die For Me review

Die For Me
Amy Plum
May 10th (US)/ May 5th (UK)
HarperTeen (US)/ Atom (UK)


My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.
Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.
Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.
Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.
While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?


Ya'll want this book, guys. It's awesome. Sexy boys? Check. Great MC? Check. SWORD FIGHTING?! HELL YEAH. And we all know that in Cicelyland, sword fighting = WIN.

I can't say too much about the plot because I don't want to spoil the whole of it for ya, but I can say it's pretty awesome. And that you want to read it. But I loved the characters! And talking about them won't spoil anything! YAY!

I liked Kate. I didn't love her, but she was cool. She could be mopey at times, and a little over-reacty, but I could overlook that. The girl's parents just died! Gotta give her a little slack. And Vincent was AMAZING. A perfect gentleman, gorgeous, strong, gorgeous hair... *besotted sigh*  But I think my real love for this book lays within the side characters. I love Jules. Like, seriously, he's so funny and pervy and lovely, and him and Ambrose together had me cracking up! Ahh, the power of bromance... ;P Oh, and Charlotte was so sweet! Plus she could kick butt if needed. Yeah.

Oh, and I want their gym. They have swords and crossbows and battleaxes and everything. That gym is a good enough reason to read the book. It's PURE AWESOME.

Die For Me is a fairly slow starting, but totally awesome book when you get into it. Totally one of the better paranormals out there, and a lot more kick-butt. 4 stars :D

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Waiting on Wednesday #30

What Happened To Goodbye
Sarah Dessen
May 10th 2011

Another town. Another school. Another Mclean. Ever since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her father have been fleeing their unhappy past. And Mclean's become a pro at reinventing herself with each move. But in Lakeview, Mclean finds herself putting down roots and making friends—in part, thanks to Dave, the most real person Mclean's ever met. Dave just may be falling in love with her, but can he see the person she really is? Does Mclean herself know?


SARAH DESSEN! YAY! ONLY 6 MORE DAYS! (Unless you live in the UK like my, then we have to wait another MONTH. *cries* Waiting sucks.) Awww, and Dave sounds like a nice guy :D But I still don't think he'll top Wes... ;)


What are you waiting for?

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'm Glad We're Recommended to Me





Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where bloggers make lists about books and other suitably bookish things. This week we're doing books we were happy were recommended to us :D

1. SARAH DESSEN. (I know that's not a book...;P) I'm so glad people kept pushing me to read Sarah Dessen books. They're awesome. AWESOME. I just finished another one and I cannot WAIT for What Happened to Goodbye. She's, like, one of my favourite authors.

2. The Summer series by Jenny Han. I just posted my review of the 2nd book in the Summer series yesterday, and these books are SO GOOD. I need the 3rd one, like, now. She has to end up with Conrad. Or neither of them. Jeremiah deserves someone better than Belly, I'm sorry to say... She's nice and all, but Jere's, like, the sweetest person ever.

3.  The Mortal Instruments.  My mum read City of Bones first, and then she kind of forced it on me (this was during the time that I wasn't reading. I know! The shame!) It was awesome. You know the rest. Probably. ;p

4.  The Hunger Games. People kept on pushing me to read it, and I was like, 'no, it's not my kinda thing'. I read it. It was totally my kind of thing. The Hunger Games is, like, everyone's thing. Now I'm a Dystopia nerd.

5.  The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner. Though I know for a fact that not everyone likes these books (my friend just didn't get it.) I love them. They're about love and magic and revenge and the catacombs and the French Revolution. I just really like them :)

6. The Vampirates books by Justin Somper.  These books are probably more MG, but I did start reading them when I was 10 (again, on my mothers recommendation...) and they're so awesome. Seriously, they're about VAMPIRE PIRATES. OH YEAH. YOU HEARD ME. There's sword-fighting and blood sucking and I heart them.

Those are all I can think of... I don't get a lot of books recommended to me...

What about you? :D

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