Daily Dose (11)

Daily Dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly where we share inspirational photos we've found lately.



It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (11)

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey where we share what books we've read, what we're currently reading, and what we're hoping to read. Last week I had a book break-down in which I was trying to read wayyyy too many books at once (see the epically long sentence here). This week I'm being more realistic.

Read:

I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1) by Pittacus Lore

Reading:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

Fire by Kristin Cashore

To Read:
Harry Potter #5, 6, and 7

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Actually...not much has changed, has it?

I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1) by Pittacus Lore

Genre: teen adventure and science fiction

Age Group: Young Adult
Series and Book #: Lorien Legacies, book 1
Pages: 440
Synopsis: Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.
Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England. And Number Three in Kenya. They killed them all. I am Number Four. I am next.

~~

Oh my goodness, finally I've read this book! And loved it! Lore managed to give you enough about Lorien and why Number Four is on Earth, that it was informational without being overwhelming.

Number Four was a good main character I thought. He had enough experience with having to move around and you learned things with him rather than you having to catch up with him. And his learning more 'human' emotions as he connected with Sam and Sarah in Ohio was nice. I wouldn't have wanted a hollow MC. Henri was pretty cool, too. To a certain degree, he was very particular with how close Number Four was getting with Sam and Sarah, but he let him do it because he had experienced love on Lorien and he had had friends, too, and he knew how it felt.

Overall, I Am Number Four is one of my favorite books, definitely. It had enough mystery, science fiction, and action that it always kept me reading, so much so that I didn't want to put it down. Lore built an amazing world that I think it so cool, and scary to a high degree. I mean, the Mogadorians? Hello, freaky! I loved the characters and the plot and I can't wait for the sequel!

The Cover: I love this cover. It caught my eye the first time I saw it and I think it opens it to girls and guys. The branding is a clever add-on. The text builds suspense also: Three are dead. I am Number Four.

On the Movie: I liked the book better than the movie, even though I saw the movie while I was halfway through the book. In the movie, it moves along faster than the book and Henri is by far way more mean than in the book. Number Four is more rebellious, and less compliant. They also add more action scenes in the movie, probably because it is a movie. They get the police involved and whatnot when in the book, the police are oblivious as most of the characters. But the movie had its pluses. I loved that there was a little more of Sarah, as in she figures it out on her own more than Number Four telling her. The involvement with Sam's dad also adds more suspense to the movie.You see more of Six, who's so awesome. And there's a stone that tells Six and Four where the other numbers are, which makes it easier on Six and Four, rather than in the book where they have no idea where the others are hiding. It was a amazing movie, and I loved it.

What do you think? Is the book better than the movie, or vice versa?

Cover Reveal: Lost in Time by Melissa De La Cruz

Personally, I thought the Blue Bloods series was going to end with Misguided Angel. But I was wrong. Lost in Time, the sixth Blue Bloods novel, will be released October 14, 2011. I haven't read The Van Alen Legacy or Misguided Angel yet, but I enjoyed the first three books and am hoping to continue on with the series.

As for the cover, judging by the bottom border, it has to do with Egypt! Unique. And the black feather is intriguing. I wonder what it's got to do with the book, if it has to do with the book at all. And there are two people on this cover. It definitely looks interesting.

Thanks to Liz from Midnight Bloom who alerted me with this news! Check her out at midnightbloomreads.blogspot.com

Preview: Jessica Rules the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

When Jessica Packwood found out she was a Romanian vampire princess, she had the shock of her teenage life. Turns out that was the easy part. Now, married to Prince Lucius Vladescu, she has to claim her throne and convince a vampire nation she’s fit to be their queen. But Jess can’t even order a decent meal from her castle’s Romanian staff, let alone deal with devious undead subjects who would love to see her fail.

And when Lucius is accused of murdering a vampire Elder and imprisoned without the blood he needs, Jessica finds herself alone, fighting for both their survivals.

Desperate to clear her husband’s name and win his release, Jess enlists the help of her best friend Mindy Stankowicz and Lucius’s mysterious Italian cousin, Raniero Lovatu. But both of them are keeping some dark secrets. Can Jess figure out who to trust – and how to rise to power – before she loses everything, including the vampire she loves?

Full of romance, mystery, and danger, the highly anticipated sequel to Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side shows that sometimes a princess has to earn her “happily ever after” – with a sharpened stake in hand.
__

I loved Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (see my review here)! As I mentioned, it was cute, hilarious, and a one-of-a-kind vampire read. I didn't think there would be a sequel! I can't wait to read it! This comes out January 9, 2012 (They just had to take their time, didn't they?)

Release: Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.
__

Ach! Do you know what day it is? IT'S THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE!! (Well, besides the other happiest times). Darkest Mercy is released today! The FINAL book in the Wicked Lovely series, one of the most beautiful, tragic, and dark series I have ever read! This lovely series features faeries and their courts and their conflicts, with Marr focusing on a different character in each book. I've been waiting for this book, forever. Can't wait to read!

Daily Dose (10)

Daily Dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly where we share inspirational photos we've found around the Web.

P.S. Sorry about the Daily Dose and It's Monday! What are you Reading? being on Tuesday... Yeah, I've been sleeping in over vacation.



It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (10)



It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey where we share what books we've read, what we're currently reading, and what we're hoping to read. Ahem, I may have bitten off more than I can chew this week. I started Harry Potter #4 after I finished Angel, which I read after I finished Harry Potter #3 and I'm reading Fire and my friend borrowed me I Am Number Four after it got passed around to a few people (there's a list, I'm not joking) and my other friend is begging me to read it fast because she's next on this totally real list which is clearly impossible since I'm reading THREE FREAKING BOOKS! Whew. Oh, and, also, I got Stolen by Lucy Christopher from the library. Yay! Let's see if I can survive the week!

Read:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

Angel (Maximum Ride #7) by James Patterson

Reading:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

Fire by Kristin Cashore

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

To Read:
Harry Potter #5, 6, and 7 by J. K. Rowling

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Angel (Maximum Ride #7) by James Patterson

Genre: teen adventure and science fiction
Age Group: Young Adult
Series and Book #: Maximum Ride, book 7
Pages: 320
Synopsis: How do you save everything and everyone you love... Max Ride and her best friends have always had one another's backs. No. Matter. What. Living on the edge as fugitives, they never had a choice. But now they're up against a mysterious and deadly force that's racing across the globe--and just when they need one another the most, Fang is gone. He's creating his own gang that will replace everyone--including Max.

When you can't be together...Max is heart broken over losing Fang, her soul mate. Her closest friend. But with Dylan ready and willing to fight by her side, she can no longer deny that his incredible intensity draws her in.

But you can't stay apart? Max, Dylan, and the rest of their friends must soon join with Fang and his new gang for an explosive showdown in Paris. It's unlike unlike anything you've ever imagined...or read.
____

Yes, I took a slight detour from Harry Potter to read Angel. I just could NOT wait!! But don't worry to all of those wonderful Harry Potter fans out there; I am going to start reading #4 today. But, OMG, this was totally worth reading.

This seriously made me cry, and I don't usually cry over books. I will get sad, on the brink if tears, but they will never fall. But this time...yeah, I cried. Something happens to Angel (hope that didn't give anything away!), something happens to Jeb and Dr. Martinez (Max's mom), and something happens to Ella, Max's half sister. Dylan and Fang and Max, they all bugged me! Mostly Dylan and Fang. Mostly Fang. I am officially with Iggy.

This is so worth reading, and as I've mentioned before, if you haven't read this series, you should. Like, now!! I can't wait for the next and FINAL installment of this series. Yes! Coming February, 2012, the final Maximum Ride novel comes out. Can't wait!

The Cover: This cover builds the suspense so much with Max looking all serious and Dylan sitting on the back branch (see him, being all moody?). I love it!

Cover Reveal: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

OMG, if you haven't read Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (see my review here) you need to--NOW! It is amazing, hilarious, and wonderful all wrapped up in a beautiful package. And, OMG, today I was looking around and this showed up:

I know, it's big, but...[insert girlish squeal of delight]

Isn't it beautiful? It's just like Paranormalcy's cover, although, I like this one better. I love the red flowers and Evie's beautiful, kind of whimsical look. Her dress is beautiful and the lettering just looks wonderful. It reminds me of a sunset on a mountain, or something. Just breathtaking. What do you think?

Release: Angelfire by Courtney Allisom Moulton and Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

First there are nightmares.
Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.
Then come the memories.
When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.
Now she must hunt.

Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember.

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.

Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

~~

Argh! I haven't read either of these books! I haven't even read the prequel to Desires of the Dead, The Body Finder, yet! They both sound oh-my-goodness amazing and I can't wait to pick them up. I hear that Angelfire is going to be a trilogy, but I haven't heard much about upcoming Body Finder novels. These sound amazing. Hope you get to them sooner than me!

Release: Angel by James Patterson

Evil scientists are still trying to convince Max that she need to save the world, this time by providing the genetic link in speeding up the pace of evolution. Worse, they're trying to convince her that her prefect mate is Dylan, the newest addition to the flock. The problem is that, despite herself, Max is starting to believe it.

Fang travels the country collecting his own gang of evolved humans, but the two separate flocks must unite to defeat a frightening doomsday cult whose motto is Save the Planet: Kill the Humans. And this time, the true heroine, for once, might just be little Angel.

~~

I. Am. So. So. SO. Excited! I. Can. Hardly. Contain. My. HAPPINESS!

Fang ended tragically with (SPOILER ALERT!) Fang breaking up with Max and leaving the flock. It was uber sad and I was upset for weeks. But, now, the time has finally come for Angel! EEP! I love love LOVE this series! For those of you who haven't read them, pick them up now! They are amazing with fast-paced action scenes and a hysterical cast of characters. LOVEEEE THEM!

Daily Dose (Harry Potter Special Edition) (9)

Daily Dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly where we share inspirational photos we've found on the Web. To express my Harry Potter love, this week features Harry Potter! <3



It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (9)

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey where we share what books we've read, what we're currently reading, and what we're hoping to read. Harry Potter's going sluggishly; I haven't had much time to read between school and friends. Hope I get further this week! I'm really enjoying them.

Read:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

Reading:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

To Read:
Harry Potters #4, 5, 6, and 7



Cover Reveal: Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston

Remember awhile ago when I told you that Lesley Livingston was having a new book come out called Once Every Never? (See New and Noteworthy for Lesley Livingston) I forgot about the cover reveal! I was just looking around the blog-o-sphere (first time in weeks) and I found this! Isn't it beautiful? I love the way the girl's hair is swirling around her head and how she's transparent. Very pretty.

Here's what it's about:

Clarinet Reid is a pretty typical teenager. On the surface. She's smart, but a bit of a slacker; outgoing, but just a little insecure; not exactly a mischief-maker...but trouble tends to find her wherever she goes. Also? She unwittingly carries a centuries-old Druid Blood Curse running through her veins.

Now, with a single thoughtless act, what started off as the Summer Vacation in Dullsville suddenly spirals into a deadly race to find a stolen artifact, avert an explosive catastrophe, save a Celtic warrior princess, right a dreadful wrong that happened centuries before Clare was even born, and if there's still time--literally--maybe even get a date.

This is the kind of adventure that happens to a girl once every...never.

(Notice her name is Clarinet Reid. Get it? Clarinet reed? *Long laugh and then a sigh* So punny)

It comes out July, 2011.

Release: The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed Donna Underwood’s father and drove her mother mad. Her own nearly fatal injuries were fixed by alchemy—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. Now seventeen, Donna feels like a freak, doomed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. Only her relationship with her best friend, Navin, is keeping her sane.

But when vicious wood elves abduct Navin, Donna is forced to accept her role in the centuries-old war between human alchemists and these darkest outcasts of Faerie. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous guy with faery blood running through his veins and secrets of his own, Donna races to save Navin—even if it means betraying everything her parents fought to the death to protect.

~~

I haven't heard much about this one. Although it sounds interesting, it's one of those books I'd look at on a shelf, think "Hmm...looks interesting", pick up, read the back, and go and buy. Not something I would put on my MRL. But this sounds promising, and totally original. Something to look for. (By the way, I think this is out in paperback...not sure.)

Harry Potter News: Halfway through Harry Potter #2. Making good progress. Just bought #6 and 7. Can't wait! Love this series.

Just a Snippet

Hullo. As you know if you've read my earlier posts, I've recently finished the extraordinary Harry Potter #1. I honestly never thought I'd see the day when I would actually start reading the series (I was always freaked out by the movies when I was younger). A friend of mine said, when I was still reading the first one, "Once you read them, you never go back." A little ominous, I suppose. But all of my friends who've read them (and trust me, that's a lot) adored them. And I adore them also. Oh, boy. I will be assaulted tomorrow with a barrage of "I told you so's".

Harry and Hedwig from the first movie

Getting back to Harry Potter #1. Not one of the best starting books I've ever read, but I am fascinated by the wizarding world that Harry gets thrown into. Rowling wrote it so beautifully, that I wish I lived there! The start was slow, getting up to speed with Hogwarts and the other little things like the Forbidden Forest and Quidditch. I'm so used to reading books set in New York or LA that I was really confused when Rowling wrote stuff relating to England. I knew the movies were based in England, but I thought it was just the movies. Of course, when they said they were driving to London for the Hogwarts Express, I kind of slapped myself on the forehead and went "DUH!".

Overall, a great start to what I've heard is a remarkable series.

Daily Dose (8)

Daily Dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly where we share inspirational photos we've found around the web lately.

Goodness, I must be hungry

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (8)

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey where we share what books we've read, what we're reading, and what we're hoping to read. I never thought this day would come, but...I have fallen hopelessly in love with Harry Potter. *Dramatic sigh* I knew immunity wouldn't last.

Read:

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling

Reading:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

To Read:

Harry Potters #3, 4, 5, 6, and 7

Ally Carter, You Have Made My Day

Yo everybody! I just got some exciting news from one of my bestest friends:

AHH!!! ISN'T IT AMAZING??

Doesn't that just look decedent? This is the sequel to Heist Society, and it features some of my favorites. Namely, cute boys and con artists. Can not wait! You can check out Ally Carter's website here where she posts news and other goodies!

Harry Potter News: Alright, halfway through Harry Potter #1. I talked to some friends of mine today who've read the books; one said she finished them in two months, one said she finished them in a year. Don't know who I'll be, but I hope I finish it in one month.

Harry Potter and Paige's Blog Posts

If you read my "Reading Now" section, over on your right, you'll notice that I'm currently reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerers' Stone. For those of you not familiar with the Harry Potter series, where have you been? But for those of you who have heard/read the series, you know that it's an extremely long series, with seven books, each growing steadily longer with each passing page (the last one, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, is 784 pages long. Yeah, I know). And so it seems that I will not be blogging for quite some time. It's not because I have fallen off the face of the earth or into some deep, dark hole in the middle of nowhere. It is merely because I am (hopefully) enjoying the long Harry Potter series. I'll still tune in for author news or releases, but there will be no book reviews in the coming weeks.

Bookishly Yours,

Paige

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Genre: teen science fiction, adventure, and mystery
Age Group: Young Adult
Series and Book #: Virals, book 1
Pages: 454
Synopsis: Adventure has always been in fourteen-year-old Tory Brennan's blood. After all, she is the niece of world-famous forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. So when she moves to middle of nowhere Morris Island, South Carolina, to live with a marine biologist dad she's never known. Tory does the best she can to adjust to her new life. There she meets a group of local kids who are just as "Sci-Phile" as she is--science geeks who've grown up exploring the backwoods marshlands of nearby Loggerhead Island. But there's something strange going on at the Loggerhead Research Institute...maybe even something deadly. After rescuing a stray wolfdog pup from a top-secret lab, Tory and her friends are exposed to a rare strain of canine parvovirus, changing them--and their DNA--forever. Now, with newly heightened senses and canine-quick reflexes, they'll have to solve a cold-case murder that's suddenly become very hot...that is, if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent. Fortunately, they are now more than friends. They area  pack. They are Virals.

~~

I don't know what I can give you after that summary, but I can tell you one thing. This isn't about genetically-enhanced werewolves. It's about human beings who have been exposed to a deadly virus that has added canine DNA to their existing human DNA, giving them canine-like abilities.

This book was very good, which somewhat shocked me. Reichs is originally an adult author, and so I was wondering if she would add too many adult things in her young adult book. But she did very well with the switch of audience, I thought. Tory is very much like a teenage girl. Her reactions to certain situations may not be normal for an average American teenage girl, but her emotions and thoughts were like one.

Overall, Virals was a pleasing book. There was mystery, action, adventure...and so many twists and turns that I just had to keep flipping pages! Reichs did a wonderful job with Tory's voice, although in the beginning, her describing Morris Island and surrounding areas was very close to the tiniest detail, which irked me. But as the story progressed, it became much better.

The Cover: One thing that bugs me the most about famous authors: their names are always bigger than the title of the book. This is what's happening here. Your eyes are drawn to the authors name, not the title. I would like to read the book, not the author.

Release: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.

~~

It's finally come! The Delirium release! I've heard so much about this book, so many many good things! And I've heard many good things about Lauren Oliver herself. This book sounds very interesting. A dystopian world where love doesn't exist. There has been The Hunger Games, where two are sentenced to die from your district to remind you not to rebel; there's Matched, where love is very key; there's Uglies, where becoming pretty is key, but not really love; and there's The Giver where perfection seems to be their only key. Every wide range of things, but no one has written about love being gone. I am apprehensive, though, as to whether or not I will cry during this book. With love gone, I have no idea what it will be like. I'm hoping that Oliver does have a happy ending to it (but I've heard that this is a series. Cliff-hangers!).

P.S.: Happy February!

<3 Paige