BOTM #14

So in November I had a great month of reading where nothing I read was rated under 3 stars and even those I loved in parts. I have done a vlog of the books that I have read and books that I am going to read in December. (warning the video quality is a bit bad)



Books that I have read in November:

• Reread: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - 4.5/5
• Reread: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer - 3/5
• Reread: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer - 3.5/5
• Reread: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer - 4.5/5
• Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick - 5/5
• Destined by P.C. & Kristin Cast - 3/5
• Butterfly Kisses by Mia Castile - 3.5/5
• The Trouble With Nightingale by Amaleen Ison - 4/5
• Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout - 4.5/5
• Phoenix by Jennifer Mason-Black - 3/5
• Breathe by Sarah Crossan - 3.5/5
• League of Strays by L.B. Schulman - 2.5/5

And the book of the month goes to...

 

In the end there was only one book that could be my book of the month and that is Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick. I loved this series and the last book in this series is no different as I loved this book too. I am sad that the series has come to an end but what an end it was and I will be rereading this series at some point. For full review click here.

It's Monday What Are You Reading? #58

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we plan our reading week!
(Click on images to send you to Goodreads)

Finished Reading

(Click on title for review)

 

Phoenix by Jennifer Mason-Black

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

League of Strays by L.B. Schulman

 

 

Currently Reading

 

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

It was a little slow to start with but now I am really into it and it's full of intrigue.

 

Love Sucks by Sage Collins

This is a bit different to other paranormal books but the same in other ways but I am enjoying it.

 

 

Reading Next

 

Echo by Alyson Noel

 

First Frost by Liz DeJesus

 

 

 

 

So that's my week of reading planned, let me know what your reading below.

 

Book Review: League of Strays by L.B. Schulman

Format: arc

Publishers: Amulet

Published: 1st October 2012

Pages: 288

Main Characters: Charlotte, Kade, Nora, Zoe, and Richie

Date Started: 28th November 2012

Date Finished: 1st December 2012

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

This suspenseful debut follows a group of teenage misfits in their delicious quest for revenge on those who have wronged them at their high school. When a mysterious note appears in Charlotte’s mailbox inviting her to join the League of Strays, she’s hopeful it will lead to making friends. What she discovers is a motley crew of loners and an alluring, manipulative ringleader named Kade. Kade convinces the group that they need one another both for friendship and to get back at the classmates and teachers who have betrayed them. But Kade has a bigger agenda. In addition to vandalizing their school and causing fights between other students, Kade’s real intention is a dangerous plot that will threaten lives and force Charlotte to choose between her loyalty to the League and her own conscience.
 

I found that the plot intrigued me which made me really want to read this book so I asked if I could review it and I am thankful for the publishers who sent it out to me.

I'm not fond of the cover I have seen far better covers but I can't think of anything else that could have been used instead.

I really though I would really enjoy this book but I found it a bit lacking of any interest and i was very disappointed. I am actually writing this review and thinking what to write and it's one of the hardest reviews that I have written. I guess I will start with the good which are that it kept me guessing what was going to happen next but the end was a bit predictable. I felt that this book did have promise as it dealt with some major issues I just don't think they was dealt with in a sensitive manner. Also there was a couple of moments when I thought it was going to pick up and enjoyed those moments but it just wasn't enough. I felt that there was parts that missed a few details as some of the next chapters jumped to another day which did get confusing. There was times when I was literally cringing at the things that was happening. It just wasn't wrapped up well enough for me.

With the characters I never really felt anything for them and I felt that they should have dealt with bigger consequences than what they did do. Charlotte seemed alright but she was easily manipulated by everyone that she was surrounded by. I also didn't like that she felt the need to exaggerate her getting bullied it just didn't sit right with me. Kade was the bad boy but what surprised me was I didn't like him as there was no charisma to him and was surprised how he got people to do his bidding but then again he is a very good manipulator. Zoe was my favourite character in this book she would have been a better lead character as she had more hidden depths to her. Richie was another good character and I wish he was in it a bit more. Nora I thought I was going to like as she seemed very smart but in the end she was the most unclever person and she was just annoying.

Overall I didn't really get on with this book but there was glimpses of a good book.

Showcase Sunday #22

Showcase Sunday is a new weekly Meme that I am taking part of. This weekly meme is hosted by Vicky over at Book, Biscuits and Tea and for more info click on the SS image which will take you straight to the blog. Click on the titles of the books to take you to Goodreads.




Books Mentioned

Review Books
Hidden by Marianne Curley
Ashes of Twilight by Kassy Tayler
Blood Prophecy by Alyxandra Harvey
Shadows by Ilsa J. Bick

Books Bought
Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Thanks to the publishers (Bloomsbury, St.Martin's Press, Quercus) for sending me the review books!

Book Review: Breathe (Breathe #1) by Sarah Crossan

 

Format: arc

Publishers: Bloomsbury

Published: 11th October 2012

Pages: 373

Main Characters: Bea, Quinn, Alina

Date Started: 23rd November 2012

Date Finished: 28th November 2012

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from the Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from? A dystopian thriller about courage and freedom, with a love story at its heart.

 

 

As soon as I was asked by the lovely publishers at Bloomsbury (thank you so much) if I wanted to review this book I jumped at the chance as I had fancied reading it for a while.

 

I love the cover and one of the reasons why I wanted this book and I know that I will eventually get a finished copy just so I can have the cover on my shelf. I love the cover even more now that I have read and get the significance of the cover to the story.

 

When I first started this book I felt a little lost as I didn't get why the world was in such a way and it wasn't until things got explained that I really started liking this book. As well as being a little lost I also felt it was really slow and I was begging it to pick up with a bit of action which didn't really happen until closer to the end but when it did... wow it was great on the edge of your seat stuff. Even though there wasn't much action there was still loads of things happening with loads of twist and turns in the plot kept me guessing all the way through. At times Breathe did have me playing with my emotions to a point when I was nearly in tears as it was really sad. I am not usually a huge fan of dystopian novels but this one has started to help me get into that particular genre. There was a bit of romance in the book but I didn't find it believable I was expecting more sparks than what there was. There was also a bit of a cliff hanger in which made me really want to pick up the next book now but that book isn't out until next year.

 

With the characters I didn't really like them to start with but I felt they really grew into themselves throughout the book which then took me onto the journey too. Bea was a nice naive girl who was in love with someone that didn't really notice her which made me feel for her. Once she found out what was really going on with the life she was living she really did grow up and want to fight for the course. Quinn was a bit annoying where I wanted to tell him to open his eyes but again when he found out some horrible things he turned into a man rather than the little boy he started out as. Alina seemed a little too cold but when she spent time with Bea, Quinn and Maude she started to melt and I really started to like her. Maude was a little old lady who was a bit mean to start with a bit like Alina but Bea really did change that and I found she was a sweet and caring old lady.

 

Overall a little slow and confusing to start with but once it got going it had the makings of a really good book and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Changing Covers #3

 

Hi everyone welcome to my new weekly feature which all about covers that change either in the middle of the series or even when the series had finished. (The covers will mainly be UK changes but also from the USA.) I decided to do this feature as there has been so many cover changes it's hard to keep up.

I am not sure if anyone has done this particular feature so feel free to let me know so I can start linking it up to them. It is similar to other features that are out there but I'm hoping that this is different enough.

 

 

First Published            Old UK                  New UK

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

 

When this series was first published it had a completely different look and I didn't like it I wish the new UK covers where released first as I much prefer them. Here in the UK there was a offer for the first one when you bought a different book so I jumped at the chance but then they changed the covers here in the UK (Old UK) but I wasn't too fussed about that as they didn't look that different. The when the last one came out and it was completely different I was gutted as I thought they could have at least waited until they was all released before changing them because now the last book in this series sticks out like a sore thumb!

I think that I will try and get the red covers eventually as they are my favourite but I think this won't happen for a few years yet unless there is an offer on them.

 

So that's my thoughts on these cover changes. Do you agree? or do you prefer the older one? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

 

Book Review: Phoenix by Jennifer Mason-Black

Format: ebook

Publishers: Musa Publishing

Published: 11th May 2012

Pages: 45

Main Characters: Tucker

Date Started: 27th November 2012

Date Finished: 27th November 2012

Rating Given:

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Would you recognize hope if you looked into its eyes?

At sixteen, Tucker has nothing but the clothes on his back, the bruises on his ribs, and the truth about what happened between him and the band teacher. He left home looking to escape his memories, but all he’s found on the road are new bad ones to take their place.

Then he meets Gabriel, a beautiful hustler, and Kelsey, a fire-obsessed girl with a head full of fairy tales. After Gabriel rescues him from a pair of drunks looking for a fight, Tucker’s happy to join him in the abandoned factory he calls home. All he must do in return is help keep Kelsey safe.

But Kelsey’s not what Tucker thinks she is, and safety isn’t what she needs from him. To help her, he’ll have to face the secret he’s been running from, and the flames she’s running to find.
 

This is another Musa Publishing book that I have read and it's another one that was enjoyable. I am really pleased that I am giving books that I normally wouldn't know about a try.

I love this book cover  as it's simple yet very eye catching. I love the feather which does tie in with the story and I also love the colours of it as it makes it stand out. I love the patterns that are also on the cover as this was needed other wise it would have been too plain.

Phoenix was another short book for me which I did enjoy but it was a bit too confusing for me. I was immediately drawn into this story and wanting to find out what was going to happen next which it was like that throughout the book even the end I was still left wanting more. For most of the book I just didn't understand what was happening as it seemed to start at the end and then went into the story and then went back to the end. I do think this story would have been better if it was longer so that things could have been explained better. I loved that Mason-Black told some very heartbreaking issues but it was tackled in a honest way which I don't think is done enough.

As well as the story being confusing some of the characters was also confusing as I didn't know where they where coming from. Tucker was a nice character who had been through some very tough times yet he was still standing which makes him a strong person. It did take a few pages before we actually knew his story though which was a bit annoying. Kelsey was the most confusing character as I didn't understand who she was but then again neither did Kelsey it wasn't until the end when things got cleared up a bit but I still wanted to know more about her. Gabriel was a mystery that even when the book ended I am none the wiser I just didn't get his part in the story.

Overall a very hard hitting, and gripping book that just needed explaining a bit more.