Monday, September 30, 2013

REVIEW: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi


Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1)  by Veronica Rossi
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: AmazonBarnes and NobleIndieBound

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she’s never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He’s searching for someone too. He’s also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other’s best hope for finding answers.


For some reason nothing about this book really drew me in initially. The cover seemed blah, the synopsis was just ok and the author didn't "sell" it to me when I met her at a signing…but after all of that I still felt compelled to read it when my good friend Jenn at Books and Swoons recommended it to me several times.

So read it I did and of course LOVED it because I love every book that she recommends to me, and now I’m left wondering why it took me soooooo long!?!?!??!?!!?

This book is categorized as a dystopian, but I think it’s got a bit of fantasy in there too so not entirely sure how I would label it just yet. We start off learning about the two the types of people in the world, one being the “Dwellers” that live in pods to protect themselves from the outside world of death and destruction and the other is the “outsiders” where there are tribes that have learned to live among the storms and destruction that occur. This world seems more of the dystopian type. I think the fantasy comes in when we discover that the Aether storms created certain mutations that gave some people “powers.” These powers are pretty much just extremely strong senses, Audiles can hear really well, Scires can smell tempers, and Seers can see extremely far and/or in the dark.

The MC’s were truly a great team in this book. We have Aria, the “Dweller” that lives in the main pod called Reverie. Then we have Peregrine aka Perry who is an “outsider” that was “twice gifted” as being a scire and a seer. Then the supporting characters come along starting with Talon, Perrys’ favorite and only nephew, who was taken by the Dwellers for reasons not fully known until the end of the book (no spoilery waters here folks :o)) and Vale, Perry’s brother and Blood Lord of the Tides. WISH there was more I could say about HIM but I could never form the words without giving everything away so for now I leave you with this: He is so shady!!!!!

Then of course we have Roar, who is Perrys’ best friend and in love with his sister Liv and my favorite, Cinder, the kid with the deadliest power of all. He can control the Aether through his blood. Pretty deadly when you realize that he doesn't even remember doing it!

Now to my favorite part, the swoons!!!

Perry, though a really tough guy, is also such a sweetheart! He saved Aria’s life MORE than once and even did it while he disliked her for “causing the Dwellers to take Talon by saving her.” I love that he fell in love with Aria and I love even more that it wasn't over night! Many books have love stories that happen way too fast, like why did you JUST meet and are already in LOVE!??!?! So yea, big plus to Ms. Rossi for her perfect timing in the love aspect of the story.

Now I would be remiss to not mention that this book is NOT A ROMANCE novel!!! Many people see it for the harsh world that it is. I, however, can pretty much find a love story in anything because that’s what I generally look for. So while this book is not really a love story, there IS a little something going on there.


The only thing I DIDN'T like about the book was the ending. And there was nothing bad about it, honestly. I just wish there was one last quote to finish it. It felt like there should have been a quote, but I’m sure whatever it lacked in this book will be overflowing in the next!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

FEATURE: Swoon Thursday (#1) Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi



A weekly meme from YA Bound

From the book you're currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog. The awesome girls over at YA Bound want to know!

This week my swoon worthy book is:

Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, #1)


"I guess you're fine with touching." His tone was light but his arms shuddered around her. He shifted them, his hands rubbing her back, sending ripples of heat through her.

"That was my first kiss," she said. "My first real one." He brought his head close, resting his forehead on hers. Blond waves fell around her face, soft against her cheeks, His chest rose and fell as he drew in a breath. "Felt like the first real one for me, too."


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

FEATURE: Waiting on Wednesday (#1)


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

Hi Swooners :-)

This week my "can't-wait-to-read" pre-publication selection is:

Expected release date: October 8, 2013

The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus, #4)

Summary from Goodreads:

At the conclusion of The Mark of Athena, Annabeth and Percy tumble into a pit leading straight to the Underworld. The other five demigods have to put aside their grief and follow Percy's instructions to find the mortal side of the Doors of Death. If they can fight their way through Gaea's forces, and Percy and Annabeth can survive the House of Hades, then the Seven will be able to seal the Doors both sides and prevent the giants from raising Gaea. But, Leo wonders, if the Doors are sealed, how will Percy and Annabeth be able to escape?

They have no choice, If the demigods don't succeed, Gaea's armies will never die. They have no time. In about a month, the Romans will march on Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are higher than ever in this adventure that dives into the depths of Tartarus.

I'm unbelievably excited for this book to come out October 8th!! So swooners, what are you waiting on???

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

FEATURE: Top Ten Tuesday- Top Ten Best Sequels Ever


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies over at The Broke and The Bookish. Every week the girls come up with a subject and we have to answer them.

This week's Top 10 is about the best sequels ever made. It can be any follow up to the original book, the second, third, fourth or even a companion. You get the point :) Here are my all time favorite sequels...


 OMG! More drama! More sorrow! More EVERYTHING!!! 

Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2)


 I feel like this was such a bittersweet ending to a great series. My heart broke with every word I read!! 

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)


 Same for Deathly Hallows. This was such a bittersweet ending to an amazing series that I can never forget what an impact it made on my life (along with the movies...I pretty much grew up with this series)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)


 Definitely loved welcoming back my favorite Demi-God Percy Jackson AND seeing a new side to the Gods...the Roman side!! Loved this book!!

The Son of Neptune (The Heroes of Olympus, #2)


 My love for this series started with this book. I completely fell in love with Jacob...that's right folks...Team Jacob over here!!!

New Moon (Twilight, #2)


  Ummm, Hello!?!? We meet the spy who stole my heart...Zach from Blackthorne...Can you say swooooon?!?!

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Gallagher Girls, #2)


 Wow! Never thought I would get over everything that happened at the end of Delirium. Especially with Alex, but Julian made the transition a little bit easier. I fell for him without even meaning to. At some point I remember disliking him, but that changed pretty fast...

Pandemonium (Delirium, #2)


 This is when I fell in love with the series. So much ooey gooey goodness in this book!

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2)


 Caleb!!!! And the drama is CRAZY!!

Once (Eve, #2)


I loved getting to know Darcy in a new light in this book and her story with Ethan was just so beautiful! The definition of TRUE LOVE!!!

Something Blue (Darcy & Rachel, #2)

Ok so that's my list, what about you guys? Any sequels you love, or hate, or love to hate? Tell me about them!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

QUOTES (#3)

Sooooooo....this is pretty much how I feel at work today



I mean seriously, Thursday?! Why do you even exist right now!?!?!?

Anywho, here are some quotes that i'm hoping will perk you (and me) up :o)


"Two wrongs don't make a right, but they make a good excuse." Thomas Stephen Sazsz

"Or perhaps all those things you missed upon first glance mean much more than you could ever guess." Sara Shepard, Wanted

"Death doesn't just take someone, it misses someone else, and in the small distance between being taken and being missed, lives are changed." Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

"It is an occupational hazard that anyone who has spent her life learning how to lie eventually becomes bad at telling the truth." Ally CarterHeist Society

"I thought about how there are two types of secrets: the kind you want to keep in, and the kind you don't dare to let out." Ally Carter, Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows


So swooners, I hope your Thursday is treating you better than mine is... If not, read a book and find a better world that will (hehe)



Tuesday, September 17, 2013

FEATURE: Top 10 Tuesday- The Top 10 Books on my Fall 2013 TBR List



Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies over at The Broke and The Bookish. Every week the girls come up with a subject and we have to answer them.

This week's Top 10 is about the books on your Fall 2013 TBR list. It can be either books you're planning to read or Fall releases you're excited about! As for me, this is my list of books that i'm hoping make it into my shopping cart before the year is over :o)

1. The House of Hades by Rick Riordan-- Because who doesn't want to be a Demi-God?! 

The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus, #4)

2. United We Spy by Ally Carter-- Because who doesn't want to be a SPY?!?!?! 

United We Spy (Gallagher Girls, #6)

3. Where She Went by Gayle Forman-- Can't wait to see what happens

Where She Went (If I Stay, #2)

4. Rise by Anna Carey-- Ummm  hello?!?! CALEB!!!!

Rise (Eve, #3)

5. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard-- LOVEEEEE this show!!! I know it's completely different from the series at this point...but I don't even care!! (hehe)

Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars, #1)

6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald-- I've been dying to read this classic for years, now that the movie is out is just a motivational push for me

The Great Gatsby

7. Divergent by Veronica Roth-- Meeting this author at Yallfest this year AND it's becoming a movie!! CANT WAIT!!!!!!

Divergent (Divergent, #1)

8. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia-- I absolutely LOVED the movie (though I know many didn't) 

Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1)

9. Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren-- Recommendation from my friend Jenn over at Books and Swoons- MUST READ!

Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Bastard, #1)

10. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins-- Anything "magical" is a must read...DUH!!

Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1)

So that's it for me swooners. Hopefully i'll be able to scratch these off my list and clear some space on my TBR list for the new year. What's on your  Top 10 fall TBR list?

Friday, September 13, 2013

BOOK TRAILER: United We Spy by Ally Carter

Hi Swooners!

So our dear friend, Ally Carter, has generously released a book trailer for her latest (and FINAL) Gallagher Girls book, United We Spy...SQUEEEE!!!




Check it out and tell me how much you LOVE it and CAN'T wait for this book to come out already...

3 days and counting!!!




So here it is...

Thursday, September 12, 2013

COVER REVEAL: Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood

OMG! OMG! OMG! It's here swooners, it's finally HERE!!!!!!

Take a look at the cover of Sisters' Fate (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #3)

SistersFate_JK.indd

Perfect timing since I JUST did my review of Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)

This is an AWESOME series and I cant wait for the release of this book (the last book in the series) which was also "released" to us as AUGUST 14, 2014 

I know this will be a bitter sweet ending and i'll be sad to say goodbye to my favorite witchy sisters :o) but it will also be a great conclusion to a GREAT series!!!

Let the countdown begin!!!!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

REVIEW: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood


Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles: Book #1)  by Jessica Spotswood
Publication Date: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenille
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: AmazonBarnes and NobleIndieBound

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship- or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word…especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.


If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood- not even from each other.

I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about the turn out of this book because it started off a little slow, but after a few chapters it pulled me right in and I couldn't put it down...Definitely a happy surprise!!

Now to the nitty gritty...Born Wicked takes place in the 1800's and follows a trio of sisters who, you guessed it...are WITCHES!!! Naturally, they are very cautious regarding their magic because being caught using magic almost certainly means DEATH (or the asylum...who knew right?!)

Now, Cate is the oldest sister and our main character. We see the whole story unfolding through her eyes...and what eyes they are! For a girl from the 1800's, she sure knows how to GET DOWN!!
Love affairs, mind magic, and boys galore! I mean honestly, I cant even begin to imagine what it would be like to be her. She has all this power and can do so much with it, who wouldn't want that right?! Well apparently Cate doesn't want it, and understandably so. I wouldn't want the baggage that comes with being Cate either! This poor girl has to juggle being a witch, taking care of her sisters and keeping their magic in lines, keeping her own magic in line (which apparently can be quite difficult when you're kissing a boy xD) and figure out whether or not she will join the Sisterhood or get married...that's a tough life for a 16 year old if you ask me!

Now lets talk about the BOYS!!! When we first meet Cate we learn that she needs to find a husband...and SOON! If she doesn't, the Brotherhood will chose one for her and nobody wants that! So we meet suitor #1, Paul McLeod, who appears to be the only interested in Cate. They have been friends since childhood and Paul is now interested in marrying Cate. At first im a little skiddish about Paul. he seems nice enough, but I couldn't tell right away how genuine he was. But after seeing him with Cate during their "alone" time I have to admit that he's kind of dreamy! Something about him is so tempting to me. He's funny, charming, sweet and tough, but not too tough...just the right amount.

But he totally gets blwon out of the picture when we (meaning Cate and myself) realize that Finn Belastra, the Gardener, is actually pretty cute and totally sweet and pretty much perfect! Yea, sorry Paul, you've been DUMPED! Finn takes sweet and charming to a whole new level when he and Cate fall in love...that's right! I said it folks...they fall in LOVE...Oh and he proposes to her with his mothers ruby ring while daring to defy the Brotherhood...SWOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!

So this is what I leave you with swooners...Go READ THIS BOOK...I need more people who share my feels about it (hehe)



Friday, September 6, 2013

REVIEW: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi


Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5)  by Tahereh Mafi
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: eBook Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBookstore

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner- and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of…

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as eve, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.


Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

So I have to admit that i'm totally in shock with Warner right now. I just can't believe that he isn't the person I thought he was. He seems so sweet and kind in this novella that it leaves me feeling really, really, REALLY sad for him. Especially now that he's actually in love with Juliette. I mean come on, Warner?! Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be...

We come to learn a lot about Warner in this novella, showing a side of his that we never knew was even there. Turns out he's not as heartless a we thought! It definitely leaves me wondering what is going to happen with him and Juliette. Maybe there is something there after all??? Maybe she's the one to change him and make him a better person. Or maybe not! 

My thoughts? Keep dreaming Warner! Juliette and Adam BELONG together!!!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

QUOTES (#2)

Hi Swooners :)



So Wednesday...hmft! Talk about blah! Anywho, I needed to read a few quotes from some of my favorite books just to relax my nerves (lol) So I decided to share...Enjoy :)


“Now I know why the Lord took his day off on Sunday. That must be the day he personally greets his favorites.” Jason F. Wright, The Wednesday Letters

“How does someone find out between lunch and dinner one day that they aren't who they thought they were?” Jason F. Wright, The Wednesday Letters

“He stared at her, knowing with certainty that he was falling in love. He pulled her close and kissed her beneath a blanket of stars, wondering how on Earth he’d been lucky enough to find her.” Nicholas Sparks, The Last Song

“If you remember me, then I don’t care if everyone else forgets.” Haruki Murakami, Kafka onthe Shore

“With a secret like that, at some point the secret itself becomes irrelevant. The fact that you kept is does not.” Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

COVER REVEAL + BOOK RELEASE: The Transfer (A Divergent Story) by Veronica Roth

FOR ALL DIVERGENT FANS.....

Divergent - Four short story 'The Transfer' cover

This is for you my friends~~~

So i'm sure you've all heard about the four short stories that Veronica Roth will be writing...well here's the cover reveal for the first one, The Transfer...I know, I know...SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!

This book (and the other three) are all in Four's POV Whoot! Whoot! (xD)

You can find this eBook (only) available September 3, 2013...That's right AVAILABLE TODAY!!!!!

From what i've read in the blogosphere, this novella is most likely a prequel to Divergent...So let the anticipation unfold swooners!!